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May 24, 2022
A Podcast Republic user
Jan 20, 2021
winelawn
Aug 29, 2020
Best wine podcast out there. Great for newbies to enthusiasts.
Episode | Date |
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Ep 475: Jeff Clarke of O:TU Wines - The Evolution of Marlborough, New Zealand Wines
57:41
Jeff Clarke has been a winemaker in Marlborough New Zealand for decades, starting at one of the companies that pioneered the Sauvignon Blanc of the region, Montana Wines. Jeff is an award-winning, world famous winemaker who is now at OTU Wine Estate in the Awatere Valley and I discovered his wines through Wine Access — his Sauvignon Blanc was unlike any other Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc I’ve had! I had to have him on to discuss this unique style and what is going on in the region.
Jeff is an expert in the wine of Marlborough and at OTU, he makes very terroir specific wines, which represent the evolution of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc and the other wines of this region.
If you like the general style of these Sauvignon Blancs but you want to taste a more refined, elegant, herbal, and nuanced version — here is your shot! After you hear the show, you'll want to seek O:TU wines immediately. Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________ I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. I found O:TU Wines on Wine Access and even included them in my co-branded wine club with Wine Access www.wineaccess.com/normal If you want to find other wines like O:TU go to my page at www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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May 30, 2023 |
Ep 474: Campania, Italy -- Details on a Splendid Trip to this Underrated Region
46:54
You’ll be able to tell how much I loved Campania/Irpinia by how enthusiastic I am in the show. If you don’t know the wines of this underrated region, you need to begin your exploration immediately. Fiano, Greco, and Aglianico make some of the best wines in the world, and yet for various reasons, they don’t get the credit they deserve. Maybe if we, as wine lovers, show more interest, the mainstream and retailers will get the idea that these are significant wines that need more attention. Grass roots wine love! Let’s change things for Campania! Here is a list of the producers I visited:
Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople _______________________________________________________________ I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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May 15, 2023 |
Ep 473: The Recap of a Trip to the Fabulous Wine Regions of Tuscany
54:49
This show is a recap of a the recent trip through Tuscany that my travel partner, Tourissimo, and I organized for a group of 19 Patrons (join Patreon so you can make the next one!). We go through the major DOCGs/DOCs we visited and I share some interesting things I learned and observed. A great one for armchair travel! Here are the DOCGs we explored:
And the DOCs Maremma and Bolgheri
My big takeaway from the trip: I am more optimistic than ever about Tuscan wines, which just keep getting better and better. If you don’t have experience with these wines, I would recommend checking them out (especially if you like Italian food since what grows together, goes together!).
A few shout outs!
3. Hotel della Fortezza and Fidalma -- go see them in Sorano for a great stay and a great meal! Full show notes and all trip details are on Patreon. Become a member today! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
_______________________________________________________________ I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
May 12, 2023 |
Ep 472: David Kong, CEO of GlasVin -- the best new handblown glasses to hit the market
47:51
Alert: David is so awesome that he has offered us a discount on your purchase of GlasVin! Use code: WINEFORNORMALPEOPLE for 10% off (Patrons, please see Patreon for a deeper discount!) We have never before had on a glassware producer because, in the past, it has been a very limited field. One company dominated and sometimes their products made no sense because, like many things in wine, there were too many options and not enough differentiation for normal wine drinkers.
But in recent years new glassware companies have burst onto the scene. I’ve tried many, many of those glasses, but the only one that actually captured my attention and that I decided to use as more than a sample was GlasVin. They are very light, very thin, and yet more durable than some of their competitors.
GlasVin was founded in 2020 by David Kong, who left his job at a hedge fund to start the company and today, his mission is to deliver handcrafted glasses at affordable prices. He was a Forbes 30 Under 30 recipient in 2022 and today he joins to tell us about the glassware industry and how he created what I think are the best new glasses to hit the market.
_______________________________________________________________ I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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May 09, 2023 |
Ep 471: The Best Wine Pairings with Mexican and TexMex
43:18
This week we see if there are any wines that can stand up to Mexican food. As with all our episodes like this, we ordered a lot of traditional Mexican and TexMex dishes that included common ingredients. Then we paired up wines that are most commonly recommended, plus a few that I think may be good options that most people don't talk about. Photo credit: Canva
As we always do, we went through lots of wine and food combos and some really nasty pairings to get the results. True to form, conventional wisdom mostly failed us and what worked really well sort of surprised us.
Although we all have different preferences and palates, this show may give you an idea of what works with Mexican and the reasons why. I always find it particularly interesting to sit down and test these recommended pairings because often I think the people recommending them are pairing based on theory, rather than on reality. Take a listen, test it out, see for yourself.
Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today! _______________________________________________________________ I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
May 01, 2023 |
Ep 470: The Grape Miniseries -- Furmint
43:18
One of the confusing things about wine is that often we can identify a wine and the basic facts about it -- we may have even tasted it -- but because it’s not obvious, we don’t know the grapes behind the wine. Although I bet you've heard of Tokaji, the great sweet wine of Hungary, you may not be familiar with Furmint, the main white grape that makes the wine sing and that usually makes up 85-90% of the blend of Tokaji.
What you also may not know is that this grape is not just for sweet wines. Starting around the year 2000, ambitious, creative producers began a quest to make quality dry wine from the grape and have had a quite a lot of success over the last 20+ years.
In this show we discuss Furmint, the white grape native to Tokaj-Hegyalia wine region of northeastern Hungary, that makes everything from simple bone-dry wine to complex oak-aged versions, to sparkling wine, to the classic botrytized sweet wines, Tokaji.
Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today! Photo: The Furmint grape. Credit: Wines of Hungary
Podcast Sources: _______________________________________________________________ I love my exclusive sponsor, Wine Access, my go-to source for the best selection of interesting, outstanding quality wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to join my co-branded wine club with Wine Access and www.wineaccess.com/wfnp so see a page of the wines I'm loving right now from their collection. Get 10% your first order. Check out Wine Access today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Apr 17, 2023 |
Ep 469: Bruno Corneaux of Domaine Divio, A Grand Cru of Oregon's Willamette Valley
01:01:00
Bruno Corneaux is the proprietor at Domaine Divio in the heart of the Ribbon Ridge AVA in the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Bruno Corneaux of Domaine Divio. Photo credit: Domaine Divio
As it is in his native home outside of Beaune in Burgundy, Bruno is a true vigneron at the Domaine– caring for both the vineyards and the cellar. His wines are among the best I have tasted from Willamette, with a combination of elegance, fruit, and earthy, spicy notes in both the Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The wines are distinctly Oregon in character, but with a nod to the acidity and structure of the wines of Burgundy.
We discuss his history, his philosophy, Oregon, and his lovely wines. A great show, pretty dorky, with some good controversial topics (you may know my feelings on Oregon...) Domaine Divio is not distributed in the US, so you can get the wines at domainedivio.com and you won’t regret it!
Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
_________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Apr 11, 2023 |
Ep 468: Comté Cheese PDO and Its Striking Similarities to Wine
54:56
Comté is an ancient cooked and pressed cheese made from raw milk. It's made using special breeds of cows, and in designated places with historic and cultural significance. The high quality is well regarded, as evidenced by the fact that Comté is the most consumed AOC/PDO cheese in France. I welcome communications director for Comté, Aurélia Chimier, and Jean-Louis Carbonnier of Carbonnier Communications who does communications for Comté in the US, along with other clients – he has been on the show before talking about (Chateau Palmer).
We dig into this wonderful cheese that has striking similarities to wine in terroir, craftsmanship, and cultural significance. This was a nice stroll into another, related part of the culinary world. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Please visit https://comte-usa.com/ for more information
Here is a link to the podcast I did with the cheese master that I mention in the show.
Full show notes are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
_________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
|
Apr 04, 2023 |
Ep 467: The Greats -- Tavel of the Rhône Valley
43:20
Hailing from the southern Côtes du Rhône, Tavel is a 100% rosé AOC and is one of the only rosé only AOCs in France. It is the darkest rosé made and it is in a different class of wine, more similar to the clairets of old (light reds) than the rosés of the modern day.
Located across the Rhône from Châteauneuf-du-Pape, just north of Avignon this small region makes what many writers have called a fourth type of still wine. These wines are dark in color, and bold in flavor with bright minerality, a touch of tannin, a round body, and intense fruit and herbal notes. Using a blend of uniquely Rhône grapes, it relies not just on reds but on whites, which are co-fermented to generate complexity and maintain acidity. Unlike many rosés, these wines can age for years or decades and improve with time.
With multiple soil types, and a legacy that dates back to the Avignon Popes, this wine is no ordinary rosé. It deserves its place among the greatest wines in the world, and after you hear this (and taste the wine) you’ll be sure to agree!
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today!
Sources used: Rosés of Southern France by Elizabeth Gabay and Ben Bernheim Syndicat Viticole de l’Appellation TavelElizabeth Gabay MW on what makes Tavel rosé so different, The BuyerWines of the Rhône by Matt Walls
_________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Mar 28, 2023 |
Ep 466: The Grape Miniseries -- Mencía
47:24
This week we explore the Mencía grape of northwestern Spain, and northern Portugal, where it is called Jaen. This is a grape variety that hasn’t strayed far from home, as almost all plantings of it are in this corner of the Iberian Peninsula.
Although it is likely native to Portugal, Spain grows more than three times what Portugal grows and the grape has become the flagship of a number of revived regions that are building back their international reputations for exceptional wine from this singular grape that tastes a little like a lot of things but nothing like anything you’ve ever had 🤣.
Silky, fruity, earthy, refreshing, yet perfumed and elegant, Mencía is an unbelievable grape and one that you will have you clamoring for more once you give it a try!
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today! _________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Mar 20, 2023 |
Ep 465: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy) Part 2
53:56
This week’s show covers the southern part of the Côte de Nuits, south of Gevrey-Chambertin. In this part of the Côte de Nuits you will find some of the most famed, expensive and coveted Pinot Noir on earth. We start with a recap of episode 464 to tie these two shows together. Then we work our way through the southern half of the Côte de Nuits. Like the first show, this is quite a download and we try to provide a structure for understanding this study in terroir, and what matters most when thinking about Burgundy's Pinot Noir.
The Côte de Nuits lies between the city of Dijon in the north and hamlet of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south (from which the Côte takes its name). In this small area, you will find most famed, expensive, and best Pinot Noir on earth. Most producers make less than 1,000 cases of wine a year and the prices boggle the mind.
This time we jump right in and cover the communes south of Gevrey-Chambertin. These regions include vineyards that produce some of the most famed and expensive wines in the world. We cover:
We reference these podcasts in the show:
Here's a map of the Côte de Nuits to reference during the show
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today! _________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. The best, wine the best selection – this is where people in the wine industry shop for wine! Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for my wine club with WA or go to www.wineaccess.com/wfnp to see my latest favorite wines and get 10% your first order. Support Wine Access – their support allows you to keep listening to the show at no cost! Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources:
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Mar 14, 2023 |
Ep 464: The Côte de Nuits of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1
01:02:11
This week’s show covers the Côte de Nuits: the northern part of Côte d’Or, the famed ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy.
The Côte de Nuits lies between the city of Dijon in the north and hamlet of Nuits-Saint-Georges in the south (from which the Côte takes its name). In this small area, you will find most famed, expensive, and best Pinot Noir on earth. Most producers make less than 1,000 cases of wine a year and the prices boggle the mind.
Like the Côte de Beaune, this is a big topic with so much nuance. Because you can never be reminded enough times, we review the history, geography, and climate of the Côte d’Or, with an emphasis on the Côte de Nuits. After this, we start our way down the Côte de Nuits (and don’t make it too far!) we cover:
We reference these podcasts in the show:
Here's a map of the Côte de Nuits to reference during the show Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today! _________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. And join my wine club. Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources:
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Mar 06, 2023 |
Ep 463: Simone Madden-Grey Returns to Discuss Emerging Australian Alternative Varietals
57:07
Our antipodean correspondent, Simone Madden-Grey joins the podcast again (man, scheduling over the last few years has been hard!)! She gets us up to speed on one of the exciting trends in Australian wine right now: alternative varieties (like Fiano, Vermentino, Tempranillo, and more!)
We define alternative varieties, discuss the impetus for this movement, and the proof points for the movement being more than a fad. We discuss the importance of the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show. We cover:
Full show notes with producers and links are now exclusively available on Patreon! Become a member today! _____________________________________________ _______________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. And join my wine club. Click here to sign up!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
|
Feb 28, 2023 |
Ep 462: Aurelien Chirat of Vignobles Chirat
53:31
This episode presents our first ever producer on from the northern Rhône – Aurelien Chirat from Vignobles Chirat. Photo: Aurelien Chirat. Credit: WFNP Located in the steep terraced slopes overlooking the Rhone, in the village of Saint Michel sur Rhône, Vignobles Chirat began in 1925 when Benoit Chirat harvested his first Syrah at the Domaine. In 1948, his son George joined and worked with Benoit until 1970. Viognier was planted on their site in Condrieu in 1980 and the real changes to the domaine happened when, in 1984, Gilbert Chirat took over the domain. Within 6 years of his taking the reins, he stopped all the polyculture on the estate and focused only on Syrah and Viognier.
The family moved from focusing on Condrieu, to the wines of Saint Joseph, and then added Côte Rôtie. Aurelien Chirat joined his father in 2012, after completing his studies and working in New Zealand, Burgundy and the south of France. We welcome Aurelien, who I had the pleasure of meeting and spending a lot of time with last year, at the Domaine, learning, and discovering all sorts of things about the northern Rhone I didn’t know.
As always, we discuss, land, winemaking, history, and tradition. For full show notes, join our membership community, Patreon.
Here are the wines we discuss:
In the US, many of the wines are available in Total Wine because Chirat works with the negociant business of Laurent Delaunay, who has been on the podcast.
_______________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. This time we have the WFNP/Wine Access Wine Club! Sign up today to get 6 bottles I select once a quarter. Excellent wines that represent classic examples of the wine region from which they hail.
Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, full show notes, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Feb 21, 2023 |
Ep 461: Alternatives to A Favorite - Chardonnay
43:25
Here's the of Alternatives to Chardonnay list from the show!
Chablis-Influenced – other cool climate wines
Bourgogne style –More floral, fuller, neutral to medium oak, malolactic fermentation -- full or part, mineral driven, herbal
Heavier – oak, fuller bodied, peachy, tropical, bready (lees influence)
Sparkling (hard to find a substitute!) we recommend:
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors:
I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Feb 14, 2023 |
Ep 460: Sonoma County, CA -- The Overview
59:47
Map: Sonoma County AVAs. Sonoma County Winegrowers Over the last 12 years we’ve done so much on Sonoma but I realized that we’ve never done a podcast outlining the areas of Sonoma to give form to this wine paradise that has 18 American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) and covers more than a million acres of land (405,000 ha) of which more than 60,000 acres are planted to grapes.
Sonoma is still full of small, family-owned vineyards. It’s estimated that at least 85% of Sonoma County’s vineyards are family owned and operated and 80% of vineyards are less than 100 acres (40% are less than 20 acres). The Sonoma landscape incorporates coastal ranges, valleys, mountains, flats, benchlands, and innumerable soils and microclimates, including a multitude of producers with different styles and ideas of what to grow.
In this show, we try to compartmentalize the areas of Sonoma, to help you figure out the big areas and their specialties.
Here are the show notes: We start with generalities…
Most of the show is spent detailing the valleys. Here is the quick and dirty on each area:
Sonoma Valley Sonoma Valley AVA: Centers on the Sonoma Valley in the southeastern part of the county. It gets cool air from the San Pablo Bay in the south, and protection from the cool influence of the Pacific in the west from Sonoma Mountain. There are dozens of different soils from very fertile on the valley floor, to well-drained and poor on the hills and mountains
Sonoma Valley has 4 AVAs within it: Moon Mountain, Sonoma Mountain, Bennett Valley, Carneros
Town to stay in if visiting the area: Sonoma
** Sonoma Valley is a discrete part of the larger Sonoma County. When producers use a general AVA for grapes from a combined region, it’s Sonoma County. _____________________________________________ COASTAL APPELLATIONS (mainly Chardonnay and Pinot Noir areas)
Sonoma Coast AVA: Goes from the San Pablo Bay to the border of Mendocino County in the north. This appellation is too large to have meaning – it can be cold and rugged near the coast or warm and sheltered inland, producing very different styles of wine. The expectation is that the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay that have the “Sonoma Coast” label are actually from coastal vineyards, but that’s not true. We tell the story of how this AVA got to be so muddled and then talk about the 3 AVAs that were set up to rectify the issue:
Towns to stay in: Petaluma, Jenner, Bodega Bay
_____________________________________ RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY AVA (Pinot Noir, but Rhône and Italian varietals are great too in certain regions)
Russian River Valley AVA is known for Pinot Noir. The constant cooling fog from the Pacific Ocean, coming from the Petaluma Wind Gap creates big diurnal swings, so grapes have a long growing season to develop flavor in the western part of the AVA.
The reality is that the Russian River Valley encompasses warm and cool areas. There are 5 Neighborhoods within Russian River Valley, which are used to discuss the cooler places that are more suited to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay (Laguna Ridge, Sebastapol Hills, parts of the Middle Reach) and those that are suited to warmer climate grapes like Rhône varieties, Zinfandel, and Italian varieties (parts of the Middle Reach, Santa Rosa Plains, Eastern Hills)
Chalk Hill AVA is in the northeast part of Russian River Valley and has less marine influence and fog. It has rocky, chalk soils so they do grow Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc, but they also grow Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot.
Town to stay in: Santa Rosa, Healdsburg, or Windsor
_______________________________________ DRY CREEK VALLEY AVA (Zinfandel central)
Dry Creek is the easiest valley to visit (2 roads, 5 stop signs!) and probably the easiest to understand. It is known for exceptional Zinfandel. It’s in northern Sonoma County, 20 miles/32 km east of the Pacific Ocean. The Coastal Range blocks a lot of the cooler air from flooding the Dry Creek, giving it hotter days and slimmer diurnal swings at night. The vineyards lie on hillsides, benchlands, and the valley floor at different elevations and on different soils – from loam to clay to gravel. Zinfandel is 30% of plantings and is more elegant, and “old school” (especially from producers like Nalle or Peterson – friends of the pod!). The flavors are less like black fruit and more like raspberry, pomegranate with acidity and moderate alcohol. Other varieties grown are: Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay very good Italian and Rhone Varieties, Bordeaux varieties grown too
Rockpile (Dry-Creek Adjacent, great Zin!): On the northern part of Dry Creek Valley, at high elevations beyond the fog, the AVA is great for rich, dense reds – Zin especially is famed (Bruliam does a great job and a friend of the show!)
Town to stay in: Healdsburg or Windsor
Dry Creek AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers _______________________________________
ALEXANDER VALLEY (known for Cabernet Sauvignon) Alexander Valley AVA: In northeastern Sonoma County, north of Healdsburg, the Russian River flows through h the Alexander Valley. It gets some cool marine air from the Pacific Ocean, and wind can cool mornings and evenings. Daytime heat spikes will ripen the grapes, but the cool wind will preserve the acidity in the classic Cabernet Sauvignon, which is so coveted, that many Napa wineries grow Cab here for top cuvees.
Pine Mountain – Cloverdale Peak (Alexander Valley adjacent) AVA: This small area overlaps the northernmost portions of the Alexander Valley AVA. It is steep with high elevations and grows a number of grapes, including Cabernet Sauvignon. Alexander Valley AVA, Sonoma. Credit: Sonoma County Winegrowers _______________________________________ Less visit-able places (yes, I know that’s not a word)…
Knights Valley AVA is right next to Mount St. Helena, and has well-drained soils, but very warm temperatures with no Pacific or San Pablo Bay influence. Elevation is the only cooling factor in this area that has volcanic and alluvial gravel and focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon (2/3 of plantings) and other Bordeaux varietals. Kendall Jackson owns most of Knights Valley.
Northern Sonoma AVA: Too huge for any meaning – most producers use Sonoma County AVA. It includes Chalk Hill, Knights Valley, Alexander Valley, Dry Creek Valley, Russian River Valley, and most of Green Valley.
Fountaingrove AVA (2015) – mostly growers, few wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux varietals, some Rhône varietals – Syrah, Viognier, Petite Sirah plus smatterings of everything. It’s too hot for Pinot and Chard except in a few key north-facing sites
So much to explore! Sonoma is a place you can need get enough of, but hopefully this episode gives some form to exactly what you want to do when you finally make it out there!
Some of my favorite people mentioned: @sonomawineguy on Twitter and other Social Media, Nalle Winery, Crux Winery, Bruliam Winery, Keller Estate, Inman Family, Kieran Robinson Wines, Truchard Winery, (and I forgot to mention...Longboard Vineyards in Russian River!).
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors:
I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please consider virtually buying us some bottles by becoming a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources for this show:
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Feb 06, 2023 |
Ep 459: Château Chasse-Spleen of AOC Moulis-en-Médoc with Jean Pierre Foubet, Managing Director
50:29
Jean Pierre Foubet is the managing director of and chief communicator for Château Chasse-Spleen, the best estate in Moulis appellation of the Médoc. His wife, Celine Villars-Foubet is the owner of the estate, and together they have brought this château to new heights in quality and prestige. Photo: Jean Pierre Foubet. Credit: ROLAND COIFFE & ASSOCIÉS
According to Jane Anson, in her book “Inside Bordeaux”: “One of the star estates of Moulis, Chasse-Spleen is one of only two that I can think of that would have a fair chance of being recognized if the 1855 ranking were to be carried out today”
With their modern outlook, but respect for tradition, they have kept the wine on a path of constant improvement. They have transformed their château into a natural and man-made paradise, one that marries tradition with modernity in the form of art. From the barrel room, to the grounds, to the art gallery, and the accommodations for guests, Chasse-Spleen is a model for how to bring a château into the 21st century. Céline and Jean-Pierre’s personalities, hospitality, and passion show through and it makes the experience of the wines so special, as I found out when I had the pleasure of staying there and spending an evening sipping the unbelievable wine, eating a delicious meal, and having so much fun and many, many laughs with the two of them in 2022.
Jean Pierre joins to tell us about Moulis, Chasse-Spleen, and explains some things to me that I always wanted to ask!
Here are some of topics Jean-Pierre and I discuss: Jean-Pierre talks about the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation, of which he is the head:
Then we discuss Chasse-Spleen, an unofficial Grand Cru of the Médoc.
This was a great conversation with one of the top château of the Médoc. Once you try Chasse-Spleen, you’ll see why it is such a special wine, that rivals top Medoc wines.
A special thanks to Jean Pierre and Céline for their hospitality and again to the Wines of Médoc and Carole Vidal for the trip there last year, where I was able to visit Chasse Spleen.
_______________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. Wines Access is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Check out my favorite wines on the page at www.wineaccess.com/normal, sign up for their daily emails, and join one of their wine clubs...AND get 10% your first order!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Jan 31, 2023 |
Ep 458: Matt Walls -- Author of "Wines of the Rhone," Rhone Guru, and the nicest guy in wine
49:59
Matt Walls is a freelance wine expert and an award-winning wine writer and consultant. He is a contributing editor to Decanter, and writes regularly for timatkin.com and Club Oenologique. He is also the author of "Drink Me!" Which won the Fortnum & Mason ‘Best Newcomer’ Award, among others, and he wrote an opus on the Rhône Valley, “Wines of the Rhône,”** which is a brilliant book that has everything you want to know about the Rhône. Buy Matt's Book!** Photo: www.mattwalls.co.uk Matt judges wine competitions, presents amazing master classes, AND he’s probably the nicest person in the entire wine industry and fun too, as I learned when I met him in the Rhone in 2022 at an industry event in the Rhône.
Here are the show notes:
We get into a lot of dorky details about the Rhône that Matt writes about (beautifully and succinctly) in the book. We cover:
We discuss some specifics of the regions:
To end, Matt tells us the areas he finds are highly underrated (Costieres di Nîmes, Luberon, Ventoux, Duché d'Uzès, Vacqueryas for white are mentioned) and he tells us some great tips to consider when traveling to the Rhône.
Matt’s book is a thoughtful and easy to read guide to this magnificent region, so if you want to get great wines from this area, which is packed with outstanding wines, many of them underpriced, his book needs to be on your shelf. I no longer shop for Rhône wines without consulting it.
Plus, he is such an awesome human we should all want to support his work! Buy Matt's Book!** Photo: www.mattwalls.co.uk **This is an affiliate link and I may earn a small commission if you buy through this link
_______________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. For 2023, I will be working with this outstanding company, which is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Jan 24, 2023 |
Ep 457: Umbria, Italy
49:11
Tucked into the middle of the Italian peninsula is the verdant, hilly land of Umbria. This small province is overshadowed by its neighbor, Tuscany, for many things, but Umbria has history, culture, and wine all its own. In this show, we explore the long history of Umbrian wine, what makes the province unique in its grapes and wine styles, and why Umbrian wine is too often unfairly forgotten in the pantheon of great wines of Italy. We review the three major wine regions of Umbria – Orvieto, Torgiano, and Montefalco – and give many reasons to give these wines a try.
Here are the show notes:
Land
Grapes:
Whites:
Photo: Sagrantino. Getty Images Orvieto
Torgiano
Montefalco and Sagrantino Montefalco Sagrantino – DOCG 1992
Montefalco DOC
Other DOCs: Assisi, Amelia, Colli Altotiberini, Colli Perugini, Lago di Corbara, Spoleto, Todi, Collie Martani, Colli del Trasimeno
All are the same combo of grapes
_______________________________________________________________
I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. For 2023, I will be working with this outstanding company, which is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order.Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today!
Is the podcast worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year to you? If so, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
__________________________________________ Sources: https://italianwinecentral.com/ THE GRAPES AND WINES OF ITALY: The definitive compendium region by region, Ian d'Agata, Michelle Longo Native Grapes of Italy, Ian d'Agata https://www.consorziomontefalco.it/en/montefalco-sagrantino-docg/ https://sommconusa.com/orvieto-doc-home-to-one-of-the-greatest-white-wines-of-italy/
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Jan 17, 2023 |
Ep 456: The Grape Mini-Series -- Merlot Revisited
01:00:43
This podcast is a refresher on Merlot (it’s been 12 years, so it’s time!). It’s one of the titans of the wine grapes, and yet it’s not often that we encounter it as a varietal wine. Because it is frequently blended, Merlot can often be forgotten or not given its due.
But Merlot will not be forgotten! It is the second-most planted grape in the world, the most widely grown grape in Bordeaux, and its pedigree as part of some of the world’s most prestigious and well-known Bordeaux and Bordeaux-style wines makes it royalty in the wine world.
But Merlot is not without challenges. When it’s not grown on the proper soils or managed meticulously, wine made of Merlot bears little resemblance to great wines of Bordeaux or other regions that are famed for blends that use it. The reputation of Merlot as a boring, flabby, dull wine is not the fault of the grape, and although it was a convenient scapegoat, it’s also not the fault of the movie “Sideways.” The fact is that Merlot is not as easy to grow as people thought, and in 1980s and 1990s, opportunistic companies used high-yielding clones on bad rootstock and in bad sites to churn out high alcohol fruit bombs, lacking all the nuance that make the grape esteemed in its homeland.
This says nothing about the grape, but much about the people who defiled it. Although it is entirely capable of making boring, cheap wine, Merlot simultaneously makes up 95% of Château Petrus, Bordeaux’s most expensive wine and is used in fine wines all over the world for its ability to elevate a blend. In this show we pay homage to Merlot, and this time, shed some light on the recent past for Merlot and why, ultimately, it has done little to harm the grape’s reputation among winemakers and those who take the time to know the grape.
DNA and Parentage
History We discuss the history of Merlot – from its first mention in Bordeaux, to its more modern history - its rise in the 1990s and its fall in the early 2000s in California, Australia, and the global consumer market.
In the Vineyard
_____________________________________________________ Regions: the grape is planted everywhere! This is more or less a list…
France
Bordeaux
Other Bordeaux: all Côtes de Bordeaux (I recommend Francs and Castillon), Bordeaux and Bordeaux Superieur AOPs
Southwest France: Bergerac where it is blended with Cabernets, Cahors where it is blended with Malbec Languedoc and Loire grow Merlot
Italy: Merlot is the third most planted red in Italy and is made in a number of styles
Other Western/Central Europe:
Eastern Europe:
_____________________________________________________ United States
Washington State: Excellent Merlot with strong acidity, dark color, and lots of interesting earthy, fruity flavor. The long growing season with cool nights lends the wine great structure. This is my top pick for US Merlot!
California
Napa: Producers usually dedicate the best soils and sites to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot is an afterthought. Right now there is a bit of a shortage of Merlot because no one has focused on it but demand is increasing as styles have changed.
Other California: Monterey (bulk), Sonoma (Alexander Valley, some Sonoma Valley)
Other US: Oregon (Rogue Valley), Virginia. Long Island (great stuff! Merlot is their best grape), Texas
Mexico, Canada (most prominent in BC for Bordeaux style blends)
_____________________________________________________ Southern Hemisphere
Chile: Producers mistook Carménère for Merlot in the 1990s but they’ve slowly gotten back to real Merlot. Top areas: Colchagua (Apalta sub AVA), Maule, Curicó. I mention the famed wine writer
Argentina: Merlot is made in a ripe style, often blended in with other grapes
Australia: The grape is often used for blending with Cabernet, but had similar issues to California when demand rose in the 1990s – Merlot was overplanted in warm bulk areas like Murray Darling, Riverina, Riverland. Today, quality Margaret River and Western Australia.
New Zealand: Merlot is the second most planted after Pinot Noir. It does especially well in blends coming out of Hawke’s Bay. Merlot also does well in Auckland, Marlborough, and Martinborough
South Africa: Cooler sites in Stellenbosch, Paarl, Franschhoek
Other places: Israel, Lebanon, India, Japan, China
Suggested food pairings
We end with a warning about serving temperature: NEVER SERVE MERLOT TOO WARM!! 60˚–65°F _______________________________________________________________ I could not be happier to announce my partnership with Wine Access, once again. For 2023, I will be working with this outstanding company, which is my go-to source for the best selection of interesting wines you can’t find locally. Every box you get from Wine Access is meticulous -- tasting notes with food and wine pairing, serving temperature suggestions, and perfectly stored wine. It's no wonder that Wine Access was rated the best wine club by New York Times Wirecutter and is the official partner and wine provider of The MICHELIN Guide. Go to www.wineaccess.com/normal to sign up for their daily emails and get 10% your first order. Wine Access is a class act -- check them out today!
Is the podcast worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year to you? If so, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Jan 10, 2023 |
Ep 455: Cava (Update) and the Other Quality Sparkling Wines of Spain
51:27
Much has changed since our original 2017 episode (199) on Cava and Spanish sparkling wine. It's time for a refresh and an update! Photo: Cava cork. Credit: cava.wine In this episode we fill you in on the roller coaster the DO has been on since 2017 and where it stands today. The story shows how Spain has moved from just being ON the radar of international wine buyers to moving to a level of sophistication that demands its regions have the kind of terroir focus of the other great wine nations of the Old World – France, Italy, Germany, and Austria, to name a few.
We review the regulations, changes, and the strife in the region and discuss what to seek out to get the best of these highly accessible, delicious, and decidedly Spanish wines.
Here are the show notes...
The Basics
We then get into the grapes and winemaking:
We discuss why Cava is such a big mess, with much infighting in its modern history, and why not all sparkling Spanish wine is created the same:
Of the 12 wines approved as CPC in 2017, 5 aren’t CPC anymore, only Corpinnat We address most recent regulations of Cava in 2020 The Cava Regulatory Council approved new zoning of the Cava DO. We review the subzones that are supposed to create a better delimitation for consumers: Comtats de Barcelona - 95%+ of Cava production
The Ebro Valley area
Map: Detail of the Ebro River Valley Cava Zone. Credit: Cava DO Smaller zones:
We end with an update of where Cava is today (hint: it’s huge and growing, it’s trying to improve by moving towards organics, it’s still fighting against Corpinnat) and what could be the next step for Corpinnat too.
A fascinating show that takes you on the wild ride that the region and wine has been on since we first discussed it those many years ago. __________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Sources: https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/2019/02/nine-producers-break-with-cava-to-form-corpinnat/ https://www.decanter.com/wine-news/new-breakaway-sparkling-wine-appellation-to-rival-cava-20501/ |
Dec 19, 2022 |
Ep 454: The Grape Miniseries -- Aglianico
48:13
In this show, we cover Aglianico - the best red grape you may have never heard of. Widely considered one of Italy’s top three red grapes with Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, many consider the wines of Aglianico some of the world’s top bottles too. That said, because Aglianico is a grape of the more obscure regions in southern Italy (Campania and Basilicata, mainly), the wine hasn’t gotten its due. It is much less expensive than top Barolos and Barbarescos or Chiantis and Brunellos – although it is slowly catching up. It is a grape well-suited to warm Mediterranean climates, and for the changing climates of once cooler growing areas like regions of California and Australia. Aglianico is historic, yet modern and there has never been a better time to get acquainted with the wines of this beautiful grape.
Here are the show notes: We cover the history of the grape and discuss possible origins.
Aglianico Viticulture:
Terroir
Styles:
Other styles:
Regions
The three main areas for high quality Aglianico in Italy are:
Taurasi (1993 DOCG), which is near Avellino, is mountainous and therefore at altitude, has volcanic soils and has an ideal climate -- hot, sunny days, and cool nights to slow ripening and build flavor.
Aglianico del Taburno (2011 DOCG) is near Benevento. These wines are less famed than Taurasi because the region was used for bulk wine until the 1980s. The region consists of 14 towns on the eastern side of the Taburno mountain.
Other Campania DOCS include: Cilento, Sannio, Gallucio, Irpinia, Falerno del Massico
Aglianico Del Vulture (we did a whole podcast on this) is located in Basilicata, just around the province of Potenza in the north. The wine region borders Campania and Puglia. The wine is required to be 100% Aglianico.
Aglianico can also be found in:
New World Regions
California: Many regions grow the grape but Caparone in Paso Robles was the first in 1992. It shows promise as the climate warms. Other US: Texas, New Mexico
We end with a discussion of food pairings and encouragement to go out and try this gem!
Main resource: "Native Wine Grapes of Italy" by Ian D'Agata _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
Bonus: Here's the cat "iron throne" we talked about... |
Dec 13, 2022 |
Ep 453: So, You Want to Get Into the Wine industry?
47:49
I welcome back Jim Morris, industry veteran, hospitality pro, and hiring manager for major wineries to help me answer the question I get frequently:
“I love wine, how do I get into the industry?”
We address the three main verticals for entry into the biz: the executive/business side, the production side, and the sales/hospitality side. Then we talk briefly about wine education and wine media. Jim’s first tip is a really essential one:
“No matter what you do, do everything in wine”
From production to shipping, learning it all will make you understand the entire business. And that is essential because wine is one huge, long supply chain!
Here are the show notes:
The Management Side/Business Side: This is the executive side, where you can enter into the industry from another professional job with a set of skills.
Our tips:
Photo credit: Unsplash
The Production Side: Winemaking, vineyard management, cellar work, including bottling, etc.
Our tips:
Wine Sales and hospitality – retail and restaurant/ Tasting room employee/ Wine club management Sales is the single most important job in wine. It is the most valued – without the sales, even great wineries fold. Sales is the most common job in wine and the easiest path to get into the industry. We discuss three or four main ways to get into wine sales and hospitality.
Our Tips:
We discuss the positions available and the paths they could lead to:
Other jobs: We briefly address wine educators, wine writers, and wine influencers too and give some advice for people thinking about those paths
Hopefully this sets you on a good path to success or at least answers the questions of how you could break into the industry if you were interested.
If you have questions, contact Jim on Twitter @sonomawineguy and he’ll get back to you! You never know, he may be hiring in his tasting room or wine club!
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Dec 06, 2022 |
Ep 452: The Soave Region of Veneto, Italy
42:53
This week’s show is about one of the most famous white wines in Italy, the region's/wine's 1000 year history, and its recent comeback in quality and stature. The region? Soave (SWAH-vay) in Veneto, Italy. Map: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave Located just east of the famed city of Verona (Romeo and Juliet, anyone?), in the foothills of the Lessini Mountains, Soave is a tiny region that packs a punch in reputation and in flavor. Made from one of the oldest known grapes in Italy, the Garganega grape, Soave’s cheek coating, almond-flavored, floral, and sometimes waterfall-like notes creates a food friendly, crowd pleasing wine. Although often maligned by the wine trade, who is woefully behind on this trend, Soave is one for us, normal wine lovers. Surely there is garbage to be had when the grapes are grown on the flats of the region, but on the ancient, steep, volcanic hillsides, worked meticulously by hand, the grapes farmed for these wines create outstanding examples of Italian white at its best. If you haven’t had it, go and get an example from the producers we recommend (Gini, Inama, Pra, Pieropan, Suavia – you won’t be sorry!) Here are the show notes...
Location, climate, land:
Soave's rolling hills. Photo: Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave Grape varieties:
We go through the history, and over the theories of how Soave got its name:
Soave DOCs and their terroir… The Soave DOC and its two subzones (Soave Classico DOC and Soave Colli Scaligeri DOC) make 99.5% of the wine (the rest is sweet Recioto di Soave DOCG and Soave Superiore DOCG). Most of the wine is dry, still, white wine. A small amount of sparkling is made. There are 33 "Unità Geografica Aggiuntiva” or Additional Geographical Units, similar to the MGA of Barolo and Barbaresco -- single vineyard sites.
Map: https://www.amaronetours.it/wines/soave There are various terroir in Soave, as we discuss earlier in the podcast:
The Hills Soave Classico and Soave Colli Scaligeri (KOH-lee ska-LEE-jah-ree) are in the mountains, as just described. The Colli Scaligeri form a horseshoe around Soave Classico and these are higher elevation areas mainly on limestone but with some basalt. The two areas are the high quality, traditional growing regions of Soave.
The Plains The Soave DOC includes the flat floor of the three valleys, where the soils are deeper, rich in clay, and the climate is very hot in summer, and frosty in the “shoulder seasons” of spring (during budbreak) and fall (during harvest). This valley area includes all the expanded are discussed in the history review, and it is the reason why people have a bad idea about Soave, despite the fact that it is so historic and delicious when made in the right regions.
Soave Soil Map: https://www.amaronetours.it/wines/soave
The two DOCGs: Recioto di Soave, Soave Superiore These wines are often from the subzones but they are not required to be. They have their own zone of production that overlaps most of the Soave DOC. They must not contain more than 5% Chardonnay and must be at least 70% Garganega and up to 30% Trebbiano di Soave.
Soave's hillside vineyards.. Photo from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave Food Pairings: Soave is lovely with food because it has acidity and delicate aromas. Perfect pairings are simple risottos with parmesan cheese, seafood and vegetable pastas, and grilled white fish and seafood or chicken in herbal or citrus preparations.
Go out and get some Soave – it is AWESOME!! _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes _______________________________________________________________ Sources: Most of the information for this show comes from Consorzio Tutela Vini Soave, 'Soave at the Crossroads' from Meininger's Wine Business Int'l
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Nov 29, 2022 |
Ep 451: Thanksgiving Wines on a Budget
40:22
Happy Thanksgiving/Harvest Meal 2022. For this episode, we’re discussing wines that will give you great bang for your buck, pair perfectly with the meal, and impress your guests.
These pairings are really for any traditional western meal – Thanksgiving, Christmas, or any sort of food that celebrates autumn flavors.
Here’s the list for 2022... The Welcome Wine
Dry white wines
Off Dry Whites for dishes with fruit or with sweetness (yams, corn):
Light Reds and rosé (good with turkey, ham, pork):
Heavier reds (for non-turkey meals):
Dessert:
Tips:
Check out the Wine For Normal People book for more tips on pairing!
Have a safe, happy, healthy holiday. We are so grateful to you for listening and for your continued support!!
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Nov 22, 2022 |
Ep 450: Aldo Vacca, Managing Director of Europe's Best Co-op, The Produttori del Barbaresco
01:01:52
For decades, Aldo Vacca has been the Managing Director of the Produttori del Barbaresco, the best and most successful wine co-op in Europe. Through his leadership and guidance, the Produttori has taken its wines, and with it, the wines of Barbaresco beyond Piedmont in northeastern Italy, to world renown. Aldo’s job at the Produttori is not just an occupation, it is his family legacy and a professional choice he made that has benefitted all who love Nebbiolo.
Aldo took a degree in Viticulture at the Torino University and worked at the prestigious University of California at Davis, after which he got one of the most coveted jobs in Piedmont – he got a job working for Gaja in 1986. But after 4 years, he realized that rather than fame and modernism, he wanted to do something that celebrated the land of Barbaresco and all it represented. He followed in the footsteps of his great grandfather and used his infinite knowledge of Nebbiolo and his skills at management and hospitality, to transform the Produttori into one of the best-known brands in Italy.
I have spent time with Aldo. He’s brilliant, cheeky, and passionate, and after two years, I’m so happy to have finally gotten him on the show. Aldo speaks to groups about the Produttori all the time, has been in lots of media, and he is absolute pro. This is a great show!
Here is a general outline of what we discuss:
Photo: Bottling at the Produttori del Barbaresco in May 2022
Here are links to all the wines the Produttori makes: BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA ASILI BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTEFICO BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MONTESTEFANO BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA MUNCAGOTA BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA OVELLO BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PAJÈ BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA PORA BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RABAJÀ BARBARESCO D.O.C.G. RISERVA RIO SORDO Photo: www.rarewineco.com
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Nov 15, 2022 |
Ep 449: All About Oak Barrels with Craig Holme of Tonnellerie Radoux
45:50
This week's show is about the essential art of cooperage, or barrel making. Aussie winemaker and current US National Sales Manager for Tonnellerie Radoux, Craig Holme, takes us through how barrels are made, from forest to cellar. We discuss sustainability (Hint: the issue isn't the barrels or the trees, it's the fact that they come on container ships fully assembled, as winemakers order. Hello, carbon footprint!), how different regions look at barrels, and how barrels are a very personal thing to a winemaker. A cool look inside of an essential part of wine!
Thanks to the Patrons for their insightful questions that augmented the show! To join Patreon, click here.
Here are the show notes: 1. Craig tells us briefly about his early life in Mount Benson, South Australia where his family farmed Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz. He discusses how he worked in the wine industry, working harvests around the world, and then becoming a winemaker himself. For 10 years, Craig and his wife owned a small wine brand, called Holme Estate Cellars, which specialized in Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz sourced from their family vineyards in Australia. They also bought Zinfandel and Chardonnay from California. He moved into barrels about 10 years ago.
2. We discuss the process of barrel making:
3. We discuss the size and shape of the barrel and why it matters (Bordeaux is 225L, Burgundy is 228 L, we explain why they are different and the other common options for barrel size)
4. I become just slightly obsessed with the elephant in the room -- It is completely wasteful for barrels to be assembled in France or Missouri or Eastern Europe and shipped to California, Washington, etc. It's not the fault of the barrel makers, but the expectations of the winemakers. Craig tells us where winemakers are about shipping air thousands of miles, and wasting space in cargo ships, rail and trucks (the coopers are businesses, they are fulfilling orders, it's the winemakers that are mainly at fault here for not demanding assembly close to home).
5. We discuss how winemakers pick barrels and what the choices could lead to in the wine.
6. Finally we end with some trends and the fact that oak is awesome, and it's an essential part of wine.
Thanks to Radoux and Craig Holme for joining the show!
All photos from https://www.tonnellerieradoux.com/ ____________________________________________________________________ |
Nov 08, 2022 |
Ep 448: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About Terroir with Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, Geologist and Terroir Educator
59:34
Dr. Kevin Pogue, PhD, professor, geologist, and terroir expert educates us on terroir. This podcast is like taking a terroir class: it debunks so many things that people spout in reference books, at wineries, and in mainstream press about the topic! He explains things brilliantly and he is one of the first people I've ever met who actually has answers to my really dorky questions about terroir.
As more detail, Kevin is one of the most famous people in the field of terroir. He's considered the foremost terroir expert on Washington State wine and he’s known around the world - his work has been featured in both national and international journals. He's a licensed geologist and professor of geology at Whitman College in Walla Walla. Kevin has a doctorate in geology from Oregon State University, and decades of college teaching and research experience. He has authored books, articles, and done extensive research on the terroir of the Pacific northwest, with a good portion of this time spent on investigating the deposits of the Missoula floods, which were the pivotal event that formed the geological base of the region.
Kevin’s research today focuses on terroir. He owns a consulting company, Vinterra, through which he assists wineries in choosing the best vineyard sites, matching grape to site, and educating winery owners and winemakers and their customers on why their specific terroir leads to the style in their wine. I need to thank Eric McKibben from Amavi and Pepper Bridge for the introduction.
Here are the items we discuss:
The majority of the show is spent with Kevin clearing up many, many things we hear about terroir, much of which is not exactly correct. We cover...
To me, this is the most comprehensive look at terroir I have ever received. I hope you learn as much as I did in the show. This is Kevin’s first show with me, but it won’t be his last! I hope you love the super dork out that is this show!! _________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Oct 31, 2022 |
Ep 447: Édouard Miailhe from Château Siran Returns
51:21
In this show we welcome back Édouard Miailhe, proprietor of Château Siran in the Margaux appellation of the Médoc (he was on Episode 391, as part of our Médoc series, discussing his role as the president of the Margaux appellation and a small bit about the Château). He joins to talk about many things that we didn’t cover in the first show, and the exciting things happening now, including the fact that Château Siran’s 2018 vintage was named the #1 wine of 2021 by Wine Enthusiast Magazine! Édouard Miailhe, owner of Château Siran, photo by Wine For Normal People After meeting Édouard in person, tasting the wines, and seeing what is happening at Siran, I agree that magazine made the right decision. Siran has some of the most vibrant energy in Bordeaux and some of the best wines. And Édouard is really just getting started.
Château Siran In addition to this, the show covers something we did not at all address in the first show: the role of the Miailhe family as discussed in the book “Wine and War” by Donald and Petie Kladstrup. The book was written two decades ago but is still a fantastic read. In our first conversation, Édouard never mentioned that his family’s bravery, sacrifice, and dedication to wine and the essence of being a Frenchman during the war makes them some of the bravest, most empathetic, clever, and principled families in the wine world.
Here are some of the things we discuss in the show:
My opinion: Château Siran is a very unique and delicious bottle of wine and extremely well-priced for what it delivers. The addition of Petit Verdot in the wine makes it unlike other wines you may have tasted and it is well worth it to buy it, hold it and taste the beauty in the bottle!! _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Oct 25, 2022 |
Ep 446: Côte de Beaune of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 2
59:24
This week’s show covers the southern part of the Côte de Beaune, south of Meursault. In this part of the Côte de Beaune you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. We start with a recap of episode 455 to tie these two shows together. Then we work our way through the southern half of the Côte de Beaune and the most famed Chardonnays in the world from the Montrachet family of vineyards. Like the first show, this is quite a download and we try to provide a structure for understanding this study in terroir, which sets us up well to do deeper dives on other parts of Bourgogne so we can understand the villages even better.
As in the first show, we don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap. Here are the show notes:
_____________________________ This show covers the southern communes of the Côte de Beaune only, from Blagny to Marange
Blagny (Blaeh-NE -- Pinot Noir)
St. Aubin: (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
Puligny-Montrachet & Chassagne-Montrachet (with Meursault, termed the "Côte des blancs" or “the slope of the "whites" Puligny-Montrachet (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
Chassagne (Chardonnay and Pinot Noir)
From the Bourgogne Website: To remember their names, here is the story they offer: The Seigneur of Montrachet set off on a crusade, entrusting his virgin daughter to his favorite Chevalier (knight). In his absence, what happened, happened, and a child was born illegitimately. On his return from the Crusades, the Seigneur discovered this Bâtard (bastard), who started to cry when he saw him. The Seigneur then said: “Criots-Bâtard!” (The bastard cries!). But he was a good man, and welcomed the child into the family with these words: “Bienvenues-Bâtard-Montrachet” (Welcome, Bastard of Montrachet).
Santenay (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
Maranges MAHR-ohnjhze (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
We hope you enjoyed the two part series on the Côte de Beaune. Lots to learn and this is just the start. _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Oct 17, 2022 |
Ep 445: Côte de Beaune of Bourgogne (Burgundy), Part 1
01:01:35
We don't need much in the notes besides this wonderful map from the Vins de Bourgogne site, but I'll throw a few things down here just for recap.
This week’s show covers the Côte de Beaune: the southern part of Côte d’Or, the famed ‘golden slope’ of Burgundy. The Côte de Beaune lies between the villages of Ladoix-Serrigny in the north and the Maranges in the south. In the north, there is delicious Pinot Noir but, in the south, you will find some of the most famed, stunning Chardonnay on earth. The topic is so big and a bit daunting so we cover the northern half of the Côte de Beaune in this episode, laying out the details of what is in each commune. We attempt to provide a structure for understanding this very difficult and detailed topic that is really a study in terroir, mostly as a basis for future podcasts that dive deeper into these appellations.
Here are the show notes: Overview:
What is here?
Structure of the AOC:
And then there are…
_____________________________ This show covers the northern communes only, from the Cortons to Meursault in three “clusters”
Cluster 1: The Corton Cluster -- Ladoix-Serrigny, Pernand-Vergelesses, Aloxe-Corton
The Village AOCs of the Corton Cluster… Ladoix-Serrigny (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
Pernand-Vergelesses (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
Aloxe-Corton – (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced “Alosse”)
Cluster 2: The Beaune Cluster
The Village AOCs of the Beaune Cluster… Savigny-lès-Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
Chorey-lès-Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)– appellation 1970, until then used Aloxe Corton or Savigny
Beaune (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
Côte de Beaune Villages (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay)
Cluster 3: Super star cluster and some randos Pommard (Pinot Noir only, pronounced Poe-Marr)
Volnay (Pinot Noir only)
Monthélie (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced Mont’lie)
Meursault (Mainly Chardonnay with a small amount of Pinot Noir)
Auxey-Duresses (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, pronounced “Aussey”)
Saint Romain (Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, 1947 AOC)
So ends our first installment of the Côte de Beaune. It’s a lot of information but it gives a backdrop so that when we do deeper dives into these AOC Villages, there is an overview to rely on!
Stay tuned next week for Part deux! _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Oct 11, 2022 |
Ep 444: The Wines of Lisboa, Portugal (the wine region around Lisbon)
32:11
This week’s show is short but extremely valuable! We tell you about one of the best value regions in the wine world: Lisboa, the area around Lisbon in Portugal.
Although it has extensive hills and regional variation in climate, the real action is less in the smaller DOCs (Denominacão de Origem Controlada) and more within the larger Lisboa IPR (Indicação de Proveniência Regulamentada or Protected Designation of Origin). Using the freedom of the larger IPR, winemakers are making spectacular blends of native and international grapes for prices that seem too good to be true.
The pressure is off to feel like you have to age these wines, spend a lot of money, or save these bottles for a special occasion. For less than US$10 you can often get a lovely bottle of red or white that drinks above its price point and is great for weeknight drinking.
Here are the show notes: We give an overview of the Lisboa Region
Terroir:
Grapes: More than 30 grape varieties are used, the majority for white wine production. Almost all are blends. The main grapes include:
Subregions: There are nine DOCS within a short drive of the capital city
Here is a short summary of the DOCs: Bucelas: “the prince of Portuguese wine” this is the best of Lisboa’s regions for white wine and as such, it’s delimited only for whites. Arinto dominates and is likely native to here. The wines are like citrus and they have high acidity with salinity, minerality and sparkling Bucelas is also made successfully in the region. This wine was famed during the Age of Exploration, cited by Shakespeare in Henry VI, and a favorite of the royal family in England under King George III
Colares: Very close to Atlantic, northwest of Lisbon, there are only166 acres/67 ha left to this DOC. The area gained fame because it was one of the only places in Europe never touched by phylloxera -- its loose sandy soils allowed ungrafted Ramisco vines to thrive on coastal sand, even while everything else perished. The sandy soils have clay underneath to hold the grapes in the ground. The Malvasia Fina grape makes aromatic whites, and the famed red is the flavorful, tannic Ramisco with Castelão
Carcavelos: A small area of just 47 acres/19 ha, Carcavelos is west of Lisbon and the area is pretty much gone because of urban sprawl, although some producers are reviving the fortified sweet wine of Galego Dourado, Ratinho, Castelão and Arinto. The wine can be vintage or non-vintage, white or red
Center of the Lisboa IPR: Alenquer: The most esteemed of the sub-regions with Bucelas, Alenquer is an inland region on the southeast side of the Serra de Montejunto. The mountains shield Alenquer from cold, Atlantic winds. The warmer climate ensures good ripening of red grapes, although aromatic whites and rosé are also made in Alenquer. The wines are blends of the main grapes (mentioned above)
Óbidos: Located near the Peniche peninsula, west of the Candeeiros mountains, and an hour north of Lisbon, this very windy and cold area is close to the coast and makes top sparkling wines. Cold, wet winds, and high humidity seep in through breaks in the mountains, making viticulture a challenge. The moisture promotes vigor, so it is very hard to make quality dry wine here, although some producers are trying to make red.
Arruda: Behind hills, protected from storms, Arruda makes red and whites (mainly blends) from indigenous and international grapes. The reds are better known than the whites.
Torres Vedras: A bulk wine region of red and white grapes. Most of the wines are designated Vinho de Mesa even though it is a DOC
Lourinhã: Windy and cold, the grapes don’t ripen so this area is demarcated for Aguardente or Brandy. The sauce is made from the Tália varietal, which is Ugni Blanc (also used to make Cognac and Armagnac) North Encostas d’Aire: On limestone slopes and hills in the western Candeiros and Aire Mountiains, this DOC makes full, fruity reds, and acidic but ripe whites from traditional grapes. It’s the largest DOC in Lisboa.
Lisbon, Photo: Pixabay Bonus: MC Ice was just there so he shares some advice on food and wine pairing!
Lisbon is a great city to visit and it’s easy to get to the wine regions. Better yet, it’s SO affordable that traveling there nightly through your glass is 100% attainable!
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Oct 04, 2022 |
Ep 443: French-American Hybrid Grapes -- The Lowdown
38:28
There are many parts of European and American cultures that have intermingled, some quite successfully, but the jury is still out on whether the vitis vinifera and the American vitis species have created something truly special and lasting. In this show, we break down European-American grapevine hybrids – what they are, why they are more important to the conversation today, their history, how they are made and what some of the more popular and more successful grapes are. We wrap with a conversation of the challenges these grapes face and I give my view on what I think the role of hybrids will be in the future. Here are the show notes: What are hybrids? For wine purposes, hybrids are grapes created by crossing two or more vitis species – the European species of grapevine, Vitis vinifera, with any number of native North American grapes. The goal of hybrids is to select for specific, superior traits in each of the grapes to create something that will yield a great wine that will survive in challenging vineyard conditions. They were specifically created in the 1860s and 1870s to fight the phylloxera epidemic (vine killing root louse that nearly destroyed Europe’s vineyards). French researchers created more than 500 different plants in the 1860s and research continued in the early 1900s. In the end, the preferred solution was using American roots with Vitis vinifera grafts, but the hybrids were quite popular for a few decades. Today, development of hybrids is still quite active at the University of Minnesota and at Cornell University in New York. Hybrdis are planted all over the US East Coast, Midwest, and the Southern part of the country as well. Some common American Vitis species with which researchers have crossed Vitis vinifera are:
Why are we talking about hybrids? For a long time, I have resisted doing a show on hybrids. They are not very popular, they are not considered fine wine, and I personally don’t enjoy many of them (with big exceptions for the whites that make ice wine, in particular). But in recent years, these grapes have been making more of a mark in the US and the UK and with the rise of climate change, I think these grapes will have a bigger role to play. In addition, people want to make wine and they want to grow things successfully in many different climates. Often, they try to make wines out of Vitis vinifera and fail because of their climate, local diseases and pests, and a bad fit with the European species. I would rather see better wines made from unknown grapes, than people trying to make a product that won’t work. The vine matter for hybrids has improved greatly and given their hardiness -- hybrids made from Vitis labrusca and Vitis riparia can grow anywhere - -and our growing problems with climate change, it is time to give these another look. Researchers trying to offset warming temperatures, new threats like wildfires, drought, and humidity will need to look at hybrids rather than more powerful fungicides and sprays whose financial and environmental costs are becoming untenable. The grapes... Red Varieties Chambourcin: Considered one of the best of French-American hybrids, it is a teinturier variety, a red with both dark skin and pulp. It is a dark colored, highly tannic red with dark raspberry, black plum, and cherry notes. It does well with oak aging and is sometimes made in an off-dry style. It is popular in: Ontario (Canada), Missouri, Pennsylvania, Michigan, North Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Kentucky, New York and New Jersey. Maréchal Foch: Can be a nice spicy wine with a dark berry note and light body. It is grown in the US Midwest and widely in Canada. Norton (Cynthiana): Can create wines that are full bodied, with red berry and spice notes, and strong tannin and acidity. It is grown in the Midwestern U.S., and Mid-Atlantic states, especially Virigina. Baco Noir: Created by François Baco in France during the phylloxera epidemic, the wine from Baco noir can show cherry, herbal notes with high acidity, and lower tannin. You can find it in Canada, New York, Oregon, and Nova Scotia, as well as in Gascony, France to make Armagnac Chancellor: Is known to have a very dark color with prune, raisin, plum, dried fig, and baked apple notes. It has a medium body with medium acidity and some strong tannin. It can be used alone or in blends and is found in cooler regions of Canada and the U.S. (especially in the Finger Lakes) and Michigan. Frontenac: Was released by the University of Minnesota in 1996. It is reportedly dark in color with cherry, perfumey, candied notes, high acidity and high alcohol. It can survive in temperatures as low as -30˚ F, and is found in Minnesota, and the northeastern part of the U.S. and all over Canada. White Wine Varieties Vidal Blanc: Potentially the top white hybrid, Vidal is a cross of Ugni Blanc and the hybrid variety, Rayon d’Or. It can be very acidic, and taste and smell like grapefruit, or be richer with pineapple and white flower notes. It is made in off-dry to dry styles, but the grape shines in ice wine in Ontario, Canada and the Finger Lakes, New York. Seyval Blanc: An acidic white grape with citrus, melon, peach, grass notes and a very light body, it often benefits from malolactic and/or barrel fermentation and barrel aging. It can be found in Canada, Englan, and in the US in the Finger Lakes and Midwest. Chardonel: Is a cross of Seyval Blanc x Chardonnay created for its cold hardiness. It has potential as a base for sparkling wine or barrel aged, dry whites in the future. It is grown in Michigan and Arkansas in the US. Traminette: Is a cross: Gewürztraminer x French-American hybrid, Joannes Seyve 23.416. It shows flowers and spice from Gewürztraminer and when allowed the proper amount of skin contact, it can be a refreshing white with good acidity. It is usually an off dry wine from the East Coast and Midwest of the US. Vignoles: Is generally an off-dry wine or dessert wine (late harvest) due to its very high acidity, high sugar and susceptibility to botrytis, which can make some very interesting sweet wines. It is found in the Finger Lakes and other parts of eastern North America. We end with a discussion of the challenges for hybrids:
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes ________________________________________________________ For more information/Sources: Are Hybrid Grapes the Future of Wine?, Smithsonian Magazine A Beginner’s Guide to Hybrid Grapes,Wine Enthusiast The Future of Winemaking Is Hybrid, Wine Industry Advisor French-American and Other Interspecific Varieties, Cornell University Here come the Hybrids, The Grapevine Magazine The Grape Growers Handbook, Ted Goldammer The Rise and Not Quite Fall of Hybrid Grapes, Ithaca.com |
Sep 27, 2022 |
Ep 442: The Greats -- Brunello di Montalcino
48:48
In Italy’s arsenal of great wines of the world, Brunello di Montalcino may be the most coveted of all. Its small production and terroir-driven style represents the pinnacle of Sangiovese, widely considered Italy’s most famed grape. Made in the small and historic Tuscan hilltop village of Montalcino, just south of Siena, the grapes thrive in the climate and soils of this rugged area. Although the youngest of all the Italian greats, Brunello, with its rich flavors, elegant balance of acidity and tannin, and incredible ability to improve with age, is a wine that everyone should experience even if just once in their wine lives. In this show we delve into the nuances of Brunello and talk about just what makes it so special.
Here are the show notes: Location:
History
Climate
Although everything in the above bullet is kind of true, it’s important to recognize that it’s a generalization: Microclimates really determine the specific wine’s flavor, as does producer sourcing and style. PLACE is so important…
Land
The upshot? Having vineyards in different subzones helps ensure consistent quality
In the vineyard
Winemaking
What is the wine like? What can you expect?
Food pairings ideas: Grilled and roasted red meats, game, truffles (not truffle oil!), mushroom risotto/pastas, Tuscan pecorino, aged Parmesan _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. Sign up for their daily email and buy what you want, when you want it. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
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Main Sources:
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Sep 20, 2022 |
Ep 441: Will Henry from Lumen Wines Asks -- Are Wild Vineyards the Way of the Future?
34:45
Lumen is farming this vineyard gone wild and it's making the best Pinot Noir there is...
Be forewarned! This is a pretty dorky and technical show. Some of you say you would like to hear what wine people talk about when we’re together: here it is!
Will Henry, co-proprietor at Lumen Wines in the cool climate AVAs of Santa Barbara, returns to the show (he was on Ep 259) to tell us a story about a vineyard he happened upon that is changing his ideas about how viticulture should be approached in California.
Will had recently purchased the Warner Henry Vineyard (named after his late father who founded the Henry Wine Group, introducing people all over the US to small, family-owned) up in the Solomon Hills of the Santa Maria Valley AVA. He was focused on that and one of his vineyard contractors mentioned an unpruned, unirrigated, and unattended vineyard that he kept passing as he drove up to Will’s property. A few months later, Will got curious. He decided to get out of his car and walk the vineyard in August. What he found defied all conventions in California viticulture: in spite of it growing wild, it was some of the best Pinot Noir he had ever seen or tasted.
It led Will down a path that many in Santa Maria Valley are following, and many more should follow, as he tries to answer the questions:
This was not the first time Will had seen this phenomenon – could he be on to the next big trend in wine (which is really the oldest way to farm!).
As promised here are the links to the people we discuss on the show:
Thanks for listening! Please go see Will at Pico or The Wine Shepherd!
**All Photos used courtesy of Lumen Wines
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on every type of wine in a variety of price points. It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Sep 13, 2022 |
Ep 440: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek -- Regenerative agriculture, alternative packaging, & Improving the environmental footprint of wine
59:05
Jason Haas is a Partner and the General Manager of Tablas Creek Vineyard. His late father, Robert Haas was a renowned importer who partnered with Château de Beaucastel in Châteauneuf-du-Pape to scout a perfect site to grow Rhône varieties in California. They found it in the Adelaida District of Paso Robles and built one of the best wineries in California.
Jason doesn’t just oversee the business, winemaking, and sales and marketing operations, he also is actively involved in the Rhone Rangers (they promote Rhone varieties in California), the Paso Robles Wine Country Alliance, Family Winemakers of California, and he is a talented and prolific writer. His clear and educational writing has been published in many wine publications as well as the award-winning Tablas Creek blog.
Jason is a big advocate for Paso Robles but also a passionate champion of more sustainable, earth-friendly solutions in the wine industry. He is a pioneer of the regenerative organic viticulture program in California, which we will discuss, and he is the first premium winery in California to put his wine in the sustainable 3 liter bag in box. This is Jason’s third appearance on the show and this time he updates us on all the work that he and Tablas Creek have done to push forward in making their vineyard and winery ever more gentle on the environment. They are leaders in California and in global thinking in wine and they are forging a path for the others to reduce their impact on the earth in wine. I’m excited to have Jason on the show again and I think you will love this show.
Here are the topics we cover:
Podcasts referenced Ep 414: The Refillable Wine Bottle Revolution to Combat Climate Change with Caren McNamara of Conscious ContainerEp 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-MédocPrevious shows with JasonEp 281: 30 Years of Tablas Creek with Jason Haas Ep 162: Jason Haas of Tablas Creek in Paso Robles, CADocumentary on Fungus: Fantastic Funghi_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Sep 06, 2022 |
Ep 439: Gamay All Day with Serge Doré (AKA, Serge talks about Beaujolais!)
43:51
Another energetic, entertaining show with Serge!
Serge Doré with his daughter Gabriele. Photo: JoAnn Actis-Grande Portsmouth Herald Serge Doré, importer of French wine (and American via Quebec…he’s a man of many identities and a worldliness we can only aspire to!) and popular podcast favorite, joins us to talk about Beaujolais, one of his favorite regions. Like all the French regions with which he works, Serge has seen the ups and downs of Beaujolais and has stuck around through a lot in working with the producers here. In the show, Serge takes us through the evolution of the region. He details the rise and fall of the Beaujolais Nouveau craze, the aftermath, and the outstanding recent history of the region. He shares stories of producers he imports and gives us inside dirt.
Here are the topics we cover:
____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
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Aug 30, 2022 |
Ep 438: The Grape Miniseries -- País
42:50
País, known as Criolla Chica in Argentina, and Mission in the US, was brought by the Spanish conquistadores and was South America’s most planted grape for centuries until an economic boom in Chile and waves of migration in Argentina brought new and interesting grapes to these nations. Argentina has plantings of the grape, California now barely any, so Chile is the epicenter of the grape, where it is thought of as the locals’ grape – something low quality and common that has been around forever but has never made more than cheap, bulk wine or wine for local consumption.
But in 2007, the 200+ year old vines caught the attention of Europeans who were making wine in Chile and they began experimenting. The grape was made into sparkling wine and then into funky natural wines, which gained a following in France and in the capital city of Chile, Santiago. Today, there is revived interest in this grape, and it is making everything from Beaujolais Nouveau-like styles to some more complex, spicy, herbal yet fruit wines with great tannins and acidity. In this episode we explore the origins of this grape and what makes it so fascinating.
Here are the show notes:
The Grape Origins:
In the vineyard
Winemaking:
País Wine/Flavors
Food Pairings:
Regions Chile
Argentina
California
It’s an interesting time for País. I think this is the beginning of a journey with this grape and we’ll keep you posted on new developments!
Sources to learn more:
____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week:
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To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Aug 23, 2022 |
Ep 437: Tom Wark on the history of US alcohol law, recent threats to wine shipping & how Prohibition altered cultural views of wine
53:57
Tom Wark is a wine writer, wine public relations company owner (Wark Communications), and our trusted resource for figuring out what is going on with the US wine industry and how it affects us, as wine drinkers. In his role as the executive director of the National Association of Wine Retailers, he manages and helps direct lobbying, litigation, and membership strategy and management for the retailers in the US and in that role has really helped dissect and expose some of the logistical and really cultural issues around wine in the US. He is the author of “Fermentation: The Daily Wine Blog”.
In this show we discuss a variety of topics, including the recent threat to US interstate wine shipping from the Uniform Law Commission. The bulk of our conversation revolves around the historical legacy of alcohol Prohibition in the US and the damage it caused to the way alcohol is sold, marketing and viewed in the United States.
Our main topics for the show:
I highly recommend that you subscribe to Tom’s very well-written blog, which is full of excellent and novel thinking. Click here to sign up. _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week:
Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Aug 16, 2022 |
Ep 436: Wine Faults -- what are they, how to spot them, and what to do about them
52:07
Wine is a product of nature, human intervention, chemistry, and it’s subject to many outside influences – storage, transport, handling – that can do a number on what’s inside the bottle. In this episode, we cover the main things that could go wrong with wine, how they got there, and what to do about it (where possible)! Photo: Pixabay Shout out to Jamie Goode, the outstanding scientist and wine writer who makes so many complex science concepts so easy to understand. Here is the link to his book, “The Science of Wine from Vine to Glass,”* from which some of the reference materials for the pod were taken. Also to “Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia,” * who (always with the humor of Tom Stevenson) brings up a number of very real faults that a lot of the mainstream wine press forget to mention (sauerkraut, anyone?). Other sources are below!
Here are the show notes: We start with defining what a flaw is in a wine, versus a taint, as defined by Jamie Goode. Then we talk about just plain old sucky wine. Flaw v Taint:
NOT FLAWS: Next we tackle things that need to be dealt with, but aren’t flaws or taints:
Before getting into the major faults, I discuss one that is on the line:
Then we hit the hard-core flaws
1. Cork taint
2. Oxidation
3. Volatile acidity (VA)
5. Reduction/sulfur issues
5. Maderized wine
6. Bubbles in a still wine:
7. Lightstrike
8. Brettanomyces:
9. Mousy
10. Smoke taint
_______________________________ Other stuff not always on the taint list!
Soapiness: Happens when acids produced by yeast are like salts: Caprylic acid salt (decanoic acid), and leave a soapy taste especially in white wines. They smell like soap but are fruitier. This note is common in high-alcohol wines. (Source: the "Le Nez Du Vin" wine faults kit and Sotheby’s Wine Encyclopedia). Like everything, a small amount is tolerable, a larger amount is a fault (and of course, make sure that soapiness isn’t from actual soap, as previously mentioned)
Cheese: If it’s subtle or in an old Riesling, cheese notes are usually good and integrate with the wine’s flavors. If it’s more like stinky cheese, it’s from ethyl butryrate and the wine is done: Take it back
Geranium notes in sweet wines are from sorbic acid or the degradation of geraniol aromas. It is considered a flaw, as are the phenol off-flavors of Carnation notes. Whether or not you like the wine is a matter of taste, but in high concentrations, it is gross and a flaw.
Sauerkraut notes are a bridge too far beyond sour milk or sour cream and are from too much bacteria in the malolactic fermentation. Yuck! This is a definite return to the shop!
This is by no means a total and complete list, but we did the best we can and hopefully it will help you ID what is a flawed or tainted wine and what is just a wine that is poorly made and bad.
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
*The books have affiliate links on which I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. |
Aug 02, 2022 |
Ep 435: Alternatives to a Favorite -- Pinot Noir
40:17
Patron Serl Z asked: What are wines other than Pinot Noir for those for whom that is the only red wine they will drink?
Join the conversation: Become a Patron on Patreon
Italy:
France:
Austria:
Greece: Agiogitiko and some Xinomavro The US and Canada:
The Iberian Peninsula:
Most New World countries make excellent Pinot Noir but don’t have a lot of alternative lighter wines, given the climate. Also, as they were starting their industry, winemakers imported grapes they felt would be successful, and Pinot was the winner of the light to medium-bodied category!
So, those are my picks, but you may have others! Feel free to share.
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Jul 26, 2022 |
Ep 434: The World's Foremost Authorities on Rosé -- Elizabeth Gabay, Master of Wine, & Ben Bernheim, Co-Author
01:13:52
Elizabeth (Liz) Gabay, Master of Wine, is the world's foremost expert on rosé and a big part of her career has been studying, writing about, and understanding rosé. Ben Bernheim, her son, is now learning from her wisdom and and is a specialist in his own right. The two of them have just completed the excellent book “Rosés of Southern France” (which is now available on Amazon for purchase. Liz is largely responsible for shifting the tide on rosé and helping people to understand that this wine is its own serious category that deserves thought, study, and consideration. In addition to the new book, Liz is the author of “Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution,” and she is also a contributor on rosé in Decanter, The Drinks Business, The Buyer, SevenFiftyDaily, Meiningers, and many more prestigious publications.
The wisdom these Liz and Ben have on the subject of rosé is vast, and they are so fun, engaging, and real, that they make it all so interesting and accessible. This is an incredible education on rosé and will enjoy every minute of listening to these fantastic humans. Photo: Ben Bernheim, taken by me when we were partners in a Beaumes de Venise mini-class in the Rhone Valley 4/22 Here are the things we discuss in the show:
Then we get into the nuts and bolts of rosé
“We love rosé. We love its diversity, its complexity, and the infinite combinations of terroir, grape variety, vintage variation and winemaking that we find around the world. Many people think we’re crazy. They see rosé as a pale pink lightly alcoholic swimming pool tipple that somehow tastes better if you’re wearing a bikini. That isn’t what this book is about. “ Photo credit: Canva
Photo credit: Canva
We end with a conversation on the future of rosé and what Ben and Liz hope for the category.
This is a fantastic conversation about a category of wine that is experiencing a big paradigm shift. Liz and Ben are some of the most normal, kindest, smartest people I’ve met in wine in a long, long while and the show is sprinkled with a ton of industry information – insider things that can help shed light on what goes on with producers, negociants, and writers. I hope you enjoy and you are motivated to buy their wonderful book! Reach out to them at https://www.elizabethgabay.com/about/ Photo credit: Canva
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www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Jul 18, 2022 |
Ep 433: Quinta da Raza -- Terroir, Family, & the Complex White Wines of the Vinho Verde Region of Portugal
49:23
Vinho Verde, the DOC (Denomination of Controlled Origin) Region, has made wine since Roman times. This region is one of the largest DOCs in Europe but within its boundaries there are vast differences between the nine sub regions. In this show, Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and Pedro Campos, winemaker clear up a lot of the misconceptions about Vinho Verde. We learn about the terroir of this old and complex region, the various subregions, and how serious, and sometimes ageworthy wine is being produced here.
In September 2021, I visited the region and I just loved the wines of Quinta da Raza, I adored Mafalda and Pedro, and I thought they were perfect representatives to tell us about their corner of this big region, in Basto, and what they are capable of making in this unique terroir.
Here’s what we discuss in the show:
Map: Vinho Verde Commission
Mafalda Teixeira Coelho, co-owner of Quinta da Raza and her daughters,
Hand harvest at Quinta da Raza (c)Wine For Normal People
Quinta da Raza’s wines are fantastic. Seek out the basic Raza, but try to find the single varietals, they are inexpensive and drink way above their price point!
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www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Jul 12, 2022 |
Ep 432: Agroforestry -- An Answer to Wine's Biggest Environmental Challenges with Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in Moulis-en-Médoc
57:15
Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier of Château Anthonic in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux is revolutionizing the entire Médoc with a novel approach to farming and adapting to climate change: Agroforestry. This show talks about the practice and the unbelievable results that can be achieved by farming in this way. It will inspire hope that there is a future for viticulture, even in areas where there is great climate change.
Photo: Jean-Baptiste Cordonnier Château Anthonic Château Anthonic is in the Moulis-en-Médoc appellation on the Left Bank of Bordeaux. It is owned and operated by Jean-Baptiste and Nathalie Cordonnier. They make very classically styled, delicious (and relatively low alcohol) red wine from mainly Merlot with Cabernet Sauvignon and some Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Photo: (C) Wine for Normal People, Château Anthonic Since 2016, Jean-Baptiste and his team have practiced agroforestry –trying to mimic the soils and conditions of the forest to enrich soil health and encourage the vines to return to a state where they are part of an eco-system, with fungi, trees, wildlife, and healthy micro-organisms. Using very specialized cover crops, they have managed to lower soil temperatures and keep sugar levels under control by practicing the tenets he discusses.
May people claim to do great things, but Jean-Baptise is the real deal. If there is anything that will inspire hope that human ingenuity and nature may help us out of bad times to come, this show is it.
Here are the topics we discussed:
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www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Jul 05, 2022 |
Ep 431: The Grape Mini-Series -- Sémillon
46:57
Sémillon used to be the most planted white grape in the world. From its native home in France to Australia, Chile, South Africa, Argentina, and beyond, it was planted en masse to pump out large quantities of flavorless bulk white wine. The problem was that Sémillon doesn’t cooperate when it’s forced to high yields. It loses acidity and it lacks flavor unlike some other grapes that can still muster some umph when over-cropped (Chenin blanc, Sauvignon blanc, Colombard, to name three). For this reason, plantings were replaced and the grape became unpopular. Today it is grown in limited quantities but two distinct areas– Sauternes/Barsac and Pessac-Leognan in Bordeaux and the Hunter Valley of Australia -- create wines that are incredibly specific and unique. Demand and fascination with these iconic wines means that cultivation of this grape is not doomed!
Here are the show notes: The origins of the grape
Sémillon in the vineyard
**M.C. Ice and I fully acknowledge that we have no idea what a hl/ha looks like but we use the numbers for comparison sake – ratios are still helpful, right? **
We discuss the growing regions for most of the remaining part of the show France: Bordeaux
Sauternes, Barsac
Dry white appellations
Other places in France Sémillon grows...
Australia
Hunter Valley in New South Wales
Western Australia:
South Australia
New Zealand has a small amount of Semillon in Marlborough, Hawkes Bay, and Gisbourne
South Africa
United States California
Washington State
Others countries that use Sémilllon
Food Pairing Ideas
_____________________________________________ Research Sources:
__________________________________________________________ ____________________________________________________ From our Sponsors... Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
|
Jun 27, 2022 |
Ep 430: New Insights on the Médoc from a Recent Trip
39:32
After a recent trip to the Médoc (the left bank of Bordeaux), I came away with a whole new appreciation for the region. In this show, I share what I learned and my main takeaway is simple: when we are thinking about Médoc, never forget that there are real people behind the bottle you drink and they care what you think about the wine! It's a place of wonder, great modesty, kind people, and exceptional wine. Here is the list of SOME of the things I learned!
At Château d'Arsac, Phillippe Raoux started over after being raised in Algeria
Magali Guyon, Technical Director at Château La Cardonne
Related podcasts: Ep 354: A New Look At Bordeaux's Médoc -- with Château La Cardonne's Magali Guyon
Ep 389: Chateau Doyac and the Diversity of Terroir in the Haut-Medoc of Bordeaux
Ep 391: Édouard Miailhe - Dynamic leader of the Margaux AOC & 5th Generation Owner of Château Siran
Links:
My visits: Château Anthonic, AOC Moulis en Médoc
Château Siran, AOC Margaux. Podcast:
Château d’Arsac, Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel, Margaux,
Château Chasse Spleen, AOC Moulis en Médoc.
Château Fonréaud, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, Listrac-Médoc.
Château Meyney, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Livran, AOC Médoc
Château La Cardonne, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, AOC Médoc.
Château Phélan Ségur, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Mouton Rothschild, 1er Grand Cru Classé en 1855, Pauillac.
Château Lagrange, 3rd Grand Cru Classé en 1855. Château de Côme, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur, AOC Saint-Estèphe
Château Doyac, Cru Bourgeois Supérieur Haut-Médoc
Château Gadet Terrefort, Cru Artisan, AOC Médoc
Thanks to Carole Vidal and Vins du Médoc for sponsoring my trip and for putting up with me for 5 days!
____________________________________________________ From our Sponsors... Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
|
Jun 14, 2022 |
Ep 429: Marchesi di Barolo - Where Modern Barolo was Created
52:51
Although much bigger, more well-known, and a bit fancier than the people I usually speak with, I wanted to make an exception and have the family who owns Marchesi di Barolo on the show so they could explain how the modern style of Barolo was created by the winery. It's much more buttoned up, and less of the normal conversation style I usually do, but it's an essential bit of history that will help fill-in some gaps about Barolo!
There are a lot of historic wineries and a lot of people in wine claim to have been the first to create a wine or a technique. But this week, the Cantina that invented Barolo as we know it today - Marchesi di Barolo joins. In the mid- to late- 1800s the Marchesi di Barolo focused on the production of dry, ageworthy, complex Nebbiolo was created from a wine that Thomas Jeffereson described as: “As silky as Madeira, as astringent as Bordeaux and as brisk as Champagne”
Thankfully for those of us who love Barolo, the Marchesi had a different style in mind and created the wine as we know it today.
The current owners, the Abbona family, purchased Marchesi di Barolo and today the 6th generation is taking over the winery. Valentina Abbona joins the show to talk about the history of Barolo as a wine, and her family’s long history in owning this storied place and making bottles that remain top examples of the wine created here.
Here are the notes:
The Marquesa di Barolo - Giulia di Barolo, photo from the Wine Museum of Barolo
Davide, Valentina, Ernesto, Anna Abbona, photo from Marchesi di Barolo's Facebook page
If you are looking for an historic visit in Barolo, you can book a tour and tasting https://marchesibarolo.com ! ____________________________________________________ Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
|
Jun 07, 2022 |
Ep 428: Laurent Delaunay of Maison Edouard Delaunay -- The Magnificent Story of a Family's Loss & Triumph in Burgundy
59:53
Laurent Delaunay of Maison Edouard Delaunay in Bourgogne (Burgundy) as well as Badet Clément and under that many estates and DVP or Domaines et Vins de Propriété joins the show to discuss his amazing story of loss and triumph in Bourgogne (Burgundy).
Laurent’s family wine ties stretch back to 1771 in the Loire, but the Delaunay name was made as one of the historic great houses of Bourgogne. The domaine began in 1893 and by the 1920s, the wines of the Delaunay’s could be found in top restaurants in around France and beyond -- The Ritz in London, Raffles in Singapore – and in the prestigious travel companies of the time -- the French Line, the Orient Express, Wagons-Lits, Cunard, Air France. The Delaunays also distributed the wines for producers like Domaine de la Romanée-Conti and the Liger-Belair family (La Romanée), and helped create the Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin in 1934. But with many twists and turns, in 1989 the family lost control of the Domaine and Laurent Delaunay, fresh out of enology school, was forced to forge his own path with his enologist wife, Catherine. What the two managed to accomplish is mind-boggling and as you will hear, Laurent managed a feat in Burgundy few could.
Here are the show notes:
__________________________
A fantastic show with one of the most modest, yet dynamic figures in French wine today! Go try Laurent’s wines of Edouard Delaunay—they are fantastic and he is a wonderful person!
____________________________________________________ Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
May 31, 2022 |
Ep 427: Some Things to Consider When Traveling to Piedmont (in Person or Through the Glass)
53:29
After a week-long trip to Piedmont, Italy with a group of 20 patrons, I give an update on the region and offer some ideas on how to explore the wines on the ground and through the glass.
Tips and producers mentioned/that we visited or that I recommend visiting: 1. To explore Nebbiolo, first hit Roero, then Barbaresco, and finally Barolo (first La Morra and Barolo, then Castiglione Falleto, Serralunga, and Monforte). Roero producers: Matteo Correggia, Massucco Barbaresco producers: Produttori del Barbaresco, Punset, Cascina delle Rose, Bruno Giacosa Barolo producer: Marrone, Marchesi di Barolo Marina Marcarino of Punset in Barbaresco
2. Barbera regions: Nizza, Barbera d'Alba, Barbera d'Asti, Barbera Monferrato Nizza producer: Erede di Chiappone Armando
3. Dolcetto regions: Dogliani, Ovada, Diano, Dolcetto d'Acqui, Dolcetto d'Alba, Dolcetto d'Asti Diano producer: Abrigo Giovanni
4. Alta Langa (sparkling wine in the traditional method) 5. Place to try lots of wines: Banca del Vino
There is so much to explore - get out of just Barolo and Barbaresco and you'll open yourself to a totally different side of Piedmont. _____________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
May 24, 2022 |
Ep 426: Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia -His Exquisite Wines from Roero in Piedmont
01:03:58
This podcast was extra special for me, as I was able to record live with Giovanni Correggia of Matteo Correggia in Roero, a part of the Piedmont in Italy that I love and that I try to champion as much as possible. I met Giovanni several years ago and loved his wines and his family story. This podcast is so many things all at once:
I have to say that in interviewing Giovanni and then in editing this show, I laughed and teared up many times. I felt indignant on his behalf, and also triumphant. I hope the conversation we had evokes the same emotions in you. If nothing else, it’s a great story and a great education on an underestimated region.
Here are the show notes:
Definitely check out Giovanni’s wines – they are so inexpensive for what they are! Saratoga Wine in the states has almost the entire line, as does Tannico in the UK.
_________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
May 16, 2022 |
Ep 425: Cairanne of the Southern Côtes du Rhône with Jean-Etienne Alary of Domaine Alary
51:29
Cairanne is an 877 ha/2,167 acre appellation in the southern Rhône Valley that has been farmed since the time of the Greeks. It is not just a regular appellation, it is a cru of elevated status in the Côtes du Rhône. It doesn’t get the credit it deserves! After tasting much of it at a wine fair in the southern Rhône, I found it unbelievably delicious. A cru with acidity and a lighter profile but still so much character? YES. And after speaking to a few of the other producers in the appellation, I found Jean-Etienne Alary and his father, Denis. Jean-Etienne has a worldly view, after spending time in Australia and New Zealand, and Domaine Alary's wines are some of the best Cairanne out there. Combining old techniques and newer ideas, Domaine Alary makes spectacular wines, with Jean-Etienne taking over the main winemaking duties from his father, Denis, who helped lead the charge to make Cairanne a Cru.
Here's a quick look at the topics we discuss in the show: 1. Jean-Etienne gives us a full education on Cairanne. We cover:
2. Then we discuss the 11 generations of the Alary family, their history in Cairanne and their essential role in Cairanne
3. We discuss the cru system and how, even though all cru are equal in the eyes of the law, they are not treated the same. Jean-Etienne talks about his aspirations to make Cairanne as well recognized as other cru
4. We discuss Jean-Etienne’s experiences in winemaking in Australia at Henschke and New Zealand at Seresin and the differences in how things get done in France vs the New World.
Photo: The Wines of Domaine Alary. ©Wine For Normal People 5. We talk about the wines of Alary:
If you haven’t had a wine from Cairanne, seek it out, especially the wines of Alary. These wines are elegant, drinkable, and fantastic with food! ____________________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
May 09, 2022 |
Ep 424: Using data to answer our most important questions about wine with David Morrison, PhD, of The Wine Gourd
48:09
David Morrison is a wine analyst and writer. He is an Australian living in Sweden. He has a PhD in plant biology, and that expertise led him to explore the wineries throughout Australia, learning about the high quality wines and vineyards there. He runs a blog called The Wine Gourd (winegourd.blogspot.com), which looks at wine from a totally different perspective – one that focuses on wine data. He seeks to take a more objective look at data, and he draws logical conclusions without an agenda, which means that most of his work provides new insights in wine that others can’t or won’t provide. Much of his work has to do with finding value for money in wine, the relevance of scores, and other major topics from which faulty conclusions are often drawn from data that is easily accessible.
This is a great show, should be eye opening and if you are a person who likes hard data to back up decisions, you will become an addict to the blog as I have. Topics we cover are:
If you really want to go down the rabbit hole on these and many other topics: http://winegourd.blogspot.com Sign up for his email notifications from the blog – you’ll learn more from it about shopping for wine, selecting wine, etc. than from any other source.
___________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Don't forget to go to the store page to see what wines I love with descriptions I have written.
www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
May 03, 2022 |
Ep 423: Interesting things about the Rhône Valley that you won't read in books
59:35
This podcast was recorded after my trip to the Découvertes en Vallée du Rhône, a wine trade fair that I was invited to by Inter-Rhône. It was a wonderful learning experience and I stayed on for a few days afterwards to explore Hermitage, Côte Rôtie, Condrieu, St. Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage, and in the south, Beaumes de Venise with Claude Chabran of Rhonéa, Gigondas with Elisa Cheron from Familie Cheron of Domaine du Grand Montmirail, and a self-guided tour of vineyards in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. It was a fantastic trip and I am grateful to the people at Inter-Rhone for the opportunity.
If you are curious about some of the people I mention as partners in crime in the show:
Photo: The Rhône in Bloom! by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
Aurelien Chirat of Vignoble Chirat in Condrieu
Photo: St.Joseph, by Elizabeth Schneider, Wine For Normal People
There are a million other little tidbits woven into this show. If you want to explore Rhône beyond study guides and generalizations, this show will get you far in understanding how different reality is from what may be published in books.
I hope you enjoy our “myth-busters, Rhône edition”! ___________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on big names or boutique brands from all over the world at up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today! If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Apr 26, 2022 |
Ep 422: Old Vines Defined, with Langmeil Winery of Barossa, Australia
01:07:15
In this show, we finally define OLD VINES with James Lindner and Leigh Woodrow of Langmeil Vineyards! The background, the history, the viticulture, and the first major definition in form of the Barossa Old Vine Charter are all covered. If you ever wondered what "old vines" really means, we have answers!
Langmeil Vineyards has a long and storied history. In 1843, Christian Auricht planted a mixed farm in the heart of the Barossa Valley in Australia. In 1932 Theodor Hanisch, Christian’s grandson established the first winery on the property and after a period of disrepair, in 1996, three men, who had strong roots in the Barossa - Richard Lindner, Carl Lindner and Chris Bitter - rejuvenated the vineyard and winery. Photo: Langmeil The Freedom 1843 Vineyard, Shiraz
Today that same vineyard from 1843, The Freedom Vineyard, is still producing grapes for wine and Langmeil, although it makes other lovely wines from normal aged vines, has developed a specialty for caring for and making wine from old vine vineyards. Vineyards include the 70-year-old Orphan Block Vineyard These old vines wines are really something spectacular, and like nothing else you can taste.
In this show, I’m joined by James Lindner, sixth generation Barossan, and son of Richard Lindner, runs the family estate with his parents and brother, while overseeing its sales and distribution both domestically and around the world. He tells us the story of how these old vines got here and the current state of old vines in Barossa.
Leigh Woodrow, long time podcast listener, WFNP supporter, Patron, and just all around smart and cool guy is the global and national sales manager for Langmeil and he adds color to the story of Langmeil, and its old vines. A Brit who has lived in Australian now for decades and has much experience in the wine industry, Leigh is humble, kind, funny, and such a great contributor to the Patron community so we need to give a big shout to one of our tribe for bringing this great show and topic to us (Patrons, we may get a bonus on a virtual video tour of the old vines, so stay tuned for that!).
The wines are available in the US and they are spectacular. And I learned a lot from this show about what LEGITIMATE old vines are versus what people may tell us they are.
I hope you enjoy the show as much as I did! And hi to Bette in the Cellar door at Langmeil!
Here are some of the topics we discussed:
A great show with terrific guests! And we finally get some definition around a very squishy term. Thanks to James and Leigh for sharing the Langmeil story!
_____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today! If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
|
Apr 18, 2022 |
Ep 421: Alternatives to A Favorite - Cabernet Sauvignon
36:08
Inspired by a question from a Patron, we give you an original list of wines that are true alternatives to Cabernet if you love the OG and you want to branch out. We come up with 7 solid ideas that are similar but different enough to make them interesting.
The original idea for this list was from Patron Serl Z. and Leigh W. gets credit for naming this series. People were so excited for these new ideas, we may just make it into a series! We begin by discussing the main characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon:
Alternatives:
At the end of the show I mention some cheat regions – good places to get blends with a healthy hit of Cabernet in them: Bordeaux, South African Bordeaux Blends, Hawkes Bay from New Zealand are three I mention!
Please let me know if you like this theme. If so, we’ll do more shows like this! _____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today! If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Apr 12, 2022 |
Ep 420: Denise Marrone of Agricola Gian Piero Marrone In Barolo
01:04:17
Denise Marrone comes from a long line of wine growers and winemakers in Barolo. Starting in 1910 when Pietro Marrone, at age 23, asked his father in if he could improve vineyard practices, the family has had a dedication to producing the highest quality grapes and wines possible from the Langhe, specifically Barolo and Barbaresco. The family’s legacy, dedication to the land, and their unbelievable hospitality at the winery in La Morra (you have to visit), is such a joy to learn about.
Denise and her sisters run Marrone with their father, Gian, today. Denise is a fireball of energy, and her outlook on wine, her candor, and her genuine kindness make this show one of the best I’ve done! I hope you love her as much as I do!
Here are the show notes:
You can find Marrone’s wines in the US, Canada, and the UK! They are wonderful, as is she! _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today! If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Mar 28, 2022 |
Ep 419: The Grape Miniseries -- Roussanne
30:48
Although one of the most prestigious white grapes of the Rhône Valley, Roussanne is relatively unknown given its penchant for making aromatic, complex, full yet acidic wines. Often used as a blending partner with Marsanne or even with Syrah in its native northern Rhône, the grape shines alone in certain versions from Châteauneuf du Pape, California, Australia, and a handful of other places around the world. In this show we examine the majesty of this grape, which makes extraordinary wines that you should be drinking! Photo credit: Roussanne - Geshem winery.jpg, CC BY-SA 4.0
Here are the show notes
Roussanne Flavors
Roussanne in the vineyard and cellar
Roussanne regions... France Northern Rhône:
Southern Rhône
Other French areas
Savoie
Outside of France
The US
Credit to Tablas Creek for providing so much information on their blog. Links from their blog: 1. Tablas Creek blog: Grapes/Roussanne 2. Tablas Creek blog: A Symposium on Roussanne
Other Sources:
_____________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get a $20 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Mar 22, 2022 |
Ep 418: April Nalle and Whitney Hopkins on Making a Small Vineyard Eco-friendly
45:20
April Nalle from Nalle Winery, who make brilliant Zinfandel (also great Pinot noir, blends, Cabernet and more) in an old-school style, is a good friend with whom I speak often. April has had some really big moments lately, where she’s gone from just being concerned about climate change to being inspired to be a change agent. She’s at the beginning of her journey and I wanted to get her at this point to tell us how it all starts.
In this show we talk about how to make a vineyard more environmentally friendly, so we are joined by vigneron Whitney Hopkins of Hopkins River Ranch in the Russian River, who farms the land mainly organically . April and her husband Andrew Nalle buy Pinot Noir from Whitney and her father, who farm the ranch together.
This show should give you insight into where the wine industry needs to make improvements in the fight against climate change and where it’s already doing a pretty good job. Warning: This is a dorky discussion!!!
Here are the notes:
The Nalle Family: 5 Generations of Farming. Photo courtesy of Nalle
Hopkins Ranch, Russian River Valley, Photo courtesy of Nalle
Thanks to Whitney and April for their candor. I love that I got some answers on the impacts of the vineyard. As we turn our focus to the winery, we’ll make sure to track April’s changes in the winery at Nalle and tracks the outcomes of doing better for the planet. ____________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
|
Mar 15, 2022 |
Ep 417: Oregon's Willamette Valley -- A Discussion of My Trip
52:25
After a trip to the Willamette Valley in Oregon, M.C. Ice and I have a casual discussion on "What I learned on my school vacation" 😂 -- a few details of the region, specifics on the wineries and sub-regions, and ultimately (apologies, but Oregon super fans won't want to hear this) my opinions on the challenges I have with the Pinot Noir of the region and how I feel that Chardonnay may be Willamette's best grape. View from Beaux Frères Remember -- the show is based on my opinions with some facts (as I have always said, Wine For Normal People is not a study guide for an exam nor is it impartial. I offer facts but always with my spin or interpretation on it. If you don't like it, that's fine, but never has this show pretended to be a journalistic look at regions or a show that doesn't give my spin on things. In a show like this, it's especially important to remember that). View from a high point of the Dundee Hills Regions mentioned:
Wineries mentioned:
The area is gorgeous, the people very kind, but ultimately not much has changed for me from the original Oregon podcast. I remain skeptical of the value for money that Oregon offers and the quality and consistency of the Pinot Noir. I have become a big fan of the Chardonnay of the area, and I think Gamay has a big future here but the region is still young and it has staked its entire reputation on Pinot Noir, so we'll see what happens in the years to come.
One final shoutout to Caravan Coffee, for the best cup I've ever had in the US!!
*All photos (C)Elizabeth Schneider ____________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
|
Mar 08, 2022 |
Ep 416: The History of Sicily... From the Wine Perspective
40:43
Sicily has a long history, and all of it is tied up with the evolution of wine and food in the Sicilian culture. In this show, we look at how this huge Mediterranean island played a major role in every major civilization from indigenous tribes to the current generation of young winemakers who seek to carve out a niche for Sicily and its unique wine culture. Here’s a brief timeline of what we talk about: Sicilian Wine Timeline...
Photo: Metropolitan Museum of Art
Photo: National Gallery Open Access
Don’t forget to check out the LIVE class on Thursday or watch it on my YouTube Channel if you can’t catch it live. Thank you to the Wines of Sicily DOC for the opportunity to offer this class for free!
___________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
_______________________________________________________________ Main Sources for the podcast:
https://www.umass.edu/journal/sicilyprogram/sicilianfoodhistory.html
Others: https://www.myguidesicily.com/usefulinfo/wines-of-sicily-and-their-history https://www.britannica.com/place/Sicily https://www.winemag.com/2019/04/16/beginners-guide-to-the-wines-of-sicily/ |
Mar 01, 2022 |
Ep 415: Gianfranco Sorrentino of Il Gattopardo -- the famed restaurateur on the intrinsic and inseparable link between Italian food, wine, and tradition
56:36
To truly understand Italian wine, you have to understand its integral ties to Italian culture. In Italy, food and wine tell the story of a region’s cultural identity, history, and the character of its people. With my recent seminars on Sicilia (on YouTube if you missed them), and an impending trip to Piedmont with a group of Wine for Normal People listeners, the interplay of Italian wine, food, and culture has been top of mind. It was in this context that I invited the famed New York restaurateur, and Italian cultural advocate, Gianfranco Sorrentino, on the show.
Gianfranco is originally from Naples in southern Italy and after many years of managing restaurants all over Europe and Asia, he settled in New York. He learned the ropes, working for some of the most prestigious restaurants in Manhattan and then opening the first fine dining establishment in the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).
He opened his first venture, Il Gattopardo, in New York in 2001 (a very difficult time to open!). In 2011, he opened The Leopard at des Artistes, his restaurant in the New York landmark Hotel des Artistes and, in 2014, Mozzarella e Vino opened directly across from MoMA.
Gianfranco is a passionate advocate of Italian food, wine and culture and he is also the founder of Gruppo Italiano (GI), an evolution from the original Gruppo Ristoranti Italiani (GRI), which was established in 1979. The group works to promote awareness of Italian wines, cuisine, and products and to help people in the US understand and appreciate the beauty of the Italian culture and its unbreakable tie to wine and food. Although he is based in the US, Gianfranco has a global view and everyone can learn from the discussion Gianfranco and I have about the landscape of Italian food, wine, and culture, and the special importance of supporting small producers and keeping traditions alive.
All Gianfranco’s restaurants use authentic ingredients to that highlight the traditions of Italian culture and hospitality. The three are in Manhattan:
Also, if you are interested, here is the book we discussed in the show, “The Leopard” Grapes we discuss: Fiano, Greco di Tufo, Pallagrello Bianco, Piedirosso/Per'e Palummo, Aglianico
I hope the show gives you a new appreciation for how wine and food are more than just nutrition and libation for Italians! ___________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Feb 22, 2022 |
Ep 414: The Refillable Wine Bottle Revolution to Combat Climate Change with Caren McNamara of Conscious Container
43:35
Caren McNamara founded Conscious Container in 2017 to bring the refillable glass bottle marketplace to the wine industry (pre-WWII, we re-used most packaging. Other countries kept doing it, but in the US that stopped). The goal: reduce single use packaging waste and turn glass bottles into multi-use vessels by setting up an infrastructure for collection, cleaning, inspection, and re-use. Caren was a project and change management manager for a major tech company but she left that behind when she saw a hole in the marketplace for refillable and reusable glass, and the opportunity to make a big impact on the beverage industry.
In the show we talk about we talk about how we wound up throwing away assets like glass, rather than re-using them, and how things like lightweight packages (reduce) and recycling are less effective than the third “r” – reuse - which is usually the most efficient of the three.
Caren discusses the opportunities for Conscious Container to do good, what it will take for her operation to become full-scale, and offers ideas of things we can do to help Conscious Container’s mission, like asking at tasting rooms about refillable bottle programs, requesting that wine clubs look into using refillable bottles, and keeping up to date on new developments which would allow us to participate in the re-use economy.
Shout out to April Nalle of Nalle Winery for being an innovator, using this program and for introducing me to Caren and all the cool stuff she's doing!
Here are some links to things Caren mentions in the show:
Go to Conscious Container to learn more. _______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes |
Feb 15, 2022 |
Ep 413: Sicily and the Sicilia DOC with Alberto Tasca of Tasca d'Almerita
01:01:38
In this episode, Alberto Tasca d'Almerita, part of the 8th generation of the Tasca d’Almerita family, the CEO of Tasca d’Almerita winery, and one of the directors of the Sicilia DOC joins the show. This is an excellent complement to the Wines of Sicily class (part 1 now on the YouTube Channel!). Photo: Courtesy of Tasca d'Almerita The Tasca d’Almerita family got into wine in the 1830s with the purchase of Tenuta Regaleali in the center of Sicily, with a range of altitudes that rise up to nearly 3000 ft/900 m, a variety of exposures, mixed soils, and elevations. The varied terrior and strong diurnals means that so many grapes grow well here – the winery grows 25 red and white varietals and the wines are fresh, fruity and honor the Sicilian tradition.
In the early 2000s, Alberto took over the business side of Tasca d’Almerita. He shook things up and modernized the winery, improving the wines but staying true to tradition. Alberto grew the winery to four other Sicilian winegrowing regions: Tenuta Capofaro on the Aeolian island of Salina; Tenuta Tascante on Mt. Etna; Tenuta Whitaker on the Phoenician island of Mozia; and Tenuta Sallier de La Tour in the DOC Monreale. To say that Alberto understands the ins and outs of Sicily and what it has to give is an understatement. Photo: Courtesy of Sicilia DOC I found that one of the most altruistic and interesting things about Alberto Tasca d’Almerita, is that he doesn’t only focus on his own business. He helped create SOStain – a sustainability registry for Sicilian viticulture created in 2010 and in concordance with VIVA (sustainability in Italian viticulture) – which allows measurement and certification of sustainability initiatives through rigorous scientific indicators to protect the land for future generations. He is a director of the Consorzio di Tutela Vini Doc Sicilia, which promotes Sicilian wine, its area of production and takes an active role in the winemaking and growing of its members, sharing best practices and trying to improve Sicilian wine. He gives back to the wine community of Sicily.
He joins the show to talk about his own business but mainly as a director of the Sicilia DOC. In the show we cover:
Photo: Courtesy of Tasca d'Almerita
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes
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Feb 07, 2022 |
Ep 412: Valpolicella and Amarone Refresher (per M.C. Ice's request)
53:32
Valpolicella is a famed red wine region in the foothills north of the city of Verona. This area has been making wine since the time of the Ancient Greeks, whose legacy is kept alive by the common practice drying grapes to concentrate the flavors in the finished wines.
We covered this with Filippo Bartolotta in episode 317, but after a conversation with M.C. Ice it became clear to me that he needed to hear the info again. It's an important wine region and it's complex, so we decided to do our version and get anyone up to speed who may also still be a little confounded about these wines!
There is much to uncover about this region, the “Valley of Many Cellars”, as it translates. The huge area makes so much wine under so many different sub-regions and areas, but not all are created equally. Even the famed and rather new wine, Amarone della Valpolicella, which has enjoyed enormous popularity in the last 20 years, isn’t all amazing. In this show, we will take you on the full tour of the region – examining what is here, the essential components of terroir, and how to get the wines you like from this multi-faceted, diverse, and very confusing Italian region.
Here are the show notes: We give an overview of the region:
Climate
Geography
Grapes Three main grapes are used with some supporting players
OTHERS…can be 25% of the blend, but no more than 10% per grape variety
Every producer makes the decision about what is best within the allowable parameters
Valpolicella Production Regions
Valpolicella DOC -
Valpolicella Subzone 1: Classico
Valpolicella Subzone 2: The Valpantena
Wine Styles: DOC/G ***It’s important to note that all the DOC and DOCG wines can be from the Classico, Valpantena OR standard Valpolicella (indication of the growing ZONE) zones and will indicate that on the label
The DOC/Gs are:
Valpolicella DOC These wines are dry reds with red berry, sour cherry, cinnamon, and pepper notes. They are unoaked, simple wines with light color and high acidity. They have no aging requirements and are often good with a slight chill in the summer. Other versions:
Recioto della Valpolicella DOCG
Amarone della Valpolicella DOCG
Valpolicella Ripasso DOC
_______________________________________________________________ Thanks to our sponsors this week: Our new sponsor: Wine Spies! Wine Spies uncovers incredible wines at unreal prices - on Zinfandel, Barolo, Champagne...you name it - up to 75% off! It’s not a club and there’s no obligation to buy. They have a build-a-case option, so you can mix and match wines while enjoying free shipping on every purchase. Visit www.winespies.com/normal you’ll get $10 credit to use on your first order! Check them out today!
If you think our podcast is worth the price of a bottle or two of wine a year, please become a member of Patreon... you'll get even more great content, live interactions and classes! www.patreon.com/winefornormalpeople
To register for an AWESOME, LIVE WFNP class with Elizabeth go to: www.winefornormalpeople.com/classes Sources:
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Jan 31, 2022 |
Ep 411: The Grape Miniseries -- Dolcetto
51:09
This week we explore the "other, other" red grape of the Piedmont (after Nebbiolo and Barbera) -- Dolcetto. This grape can be a challenge in the vineyard and in the cellar, but it is capable of producing some of the most satisfying, tasty, and unique wines you can have. |